A coalition of 101 eminent citizens of Bangladesh has expressed profound concern and strong protest following a midnight raid conducted at the residence of a senior police official in the capital's Khilkhet area, which resulted in the arbitrary arrest and summary trial sentencing of at least 85 individuals, including 26 women. In a joint statement issued to the media on Sunday, the signatories strongly condemned the operation, demanding the immediate release of all detained and convicted persons, a transparent and independent investigation into the incident, and strict accountability for those who violated legal procedures.
The statement underscored serious apprehensions regarding reports that the detainees were denied fundamental legal access, specifically preventing them from consulting with their legal counsels following the Detective Branch intervention. Highlighting the opacity of the process, the signatories raised critical questions regarding the authoritative directives, underlying motives, and explicit legal foundations that authorized the raid, while questioning who orchestrated the rapid sentencing and whether due process of law was strictly adhered to.
According to media reports referenced in the statement, the arrested men were handed 30-day prison terms, while the women received 15-day sentences through summary proceedings, though the specific charges and evidentiary bases establishing their guilt remained conspicuously unclear. The signatories heavily criticized the practice of conducting anti-narcotics operations accompanied by media cameras at private gatherings, noting that instead of safeguarding personal privacy and dignity, authorities broadcasted identities and images publicly, enabling media outlets to project individuals as drug abusers before any formal adjudication of guilt.
The civic leaders emphasized that personal choices such as gathering in private spaces, listening to music, dancing, or participating in mixed social events do not constitute criminal offenses under the laws of Bangladesh. Condemning the actions as a disturbing manifestation of moral policing, they asserted that personal biases concerning attire, lifestyle, or entertainment cannot serve as justifications for state-sanctioned punishment or the systemic regulation of citizens' private lives.
Citing constitutional guarantees enshrined under Articles 31, 32, 33, 35, and 43 of the Constitution of Bangladesh—which protect the right to legal recourse, personal liberty, safeguards against arbitrary arrest, fair trial rights, and the sanctity of the home against unlawful intrusion—the signatories outlined a four-point demand. These demands encompass the immediate release of the victims, provision of case documents and judgment copies, cancellation of sentences where legal justification is absent, cessation of circulating identifiable media of the detainees, and a rigorous, impartial probe into the abuse of power.
The statement was endorsed by 101 prominent writers, academics, legal jurists, journalists, human rights activists, and civil society organizers. Notable signatories include Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, Association for Land Reform and Development Executive Director Shamsul Huda, human rights defenders Nur Khan Liton and Khushi Kabir, Professor Anu Muhammad, photographer Shahidul Alam, Dhaka University professors Tanzimuddin Khan, Kamrul Hasan Mamun, Samina Lutfa, and Fahmidul Haq, Supreme Court Senior Advocate Sara Hossain, writer Rehnuma Ahmed, Kallol Mustafa, and lawyer-activist Dilruba Sharmin.
