Mob rule, shrinking freedom mark post-July politics: Speakers tell policy dialogue

Mob violence, state inaction, and growing self-censorship have emerged as defining features of the post-July political landscape, speakers said yesterday, warning that the rule of law has weakened rather than improved since the uprising.

They said as the election approaches, space for human rights and freedom of expression is shrinking, with vaguely worded laws still being used as “political weapons” amid weak accountability.

The observations were made at a policy dialogue titled “Political Parties, Human Rights and Freedom of Expression”, organised by the Centre for Governance Studies at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital. Civil society members, politicians and journalists attended the event.

Mob culture did not arise on its own but was enabled by the state. Extortion, tender manipulation and land grabbing have continued since the uprising, with political parties still relying on “money, muscle and religion”.

Iftekharuzzaman TIB Executive Director

CGS Executive Director Zillur Rahman said narratives of the uprising are being “commodified” for political gain, similar to how the Liberation War was exploited over the past 15 years.

He said the erosion of rights is closely tied to political culture and the electoral cycle.

“Human rights and freedom of expression are not isolated issues. Experiences show that as elections near, these spaces shrink,” he said, warning that threats, violence, harassment and self-censorship are narrowing civic space.

While acknowledging discussions on legal reform, Zillur said changing laws alone is not enough. “If laws remain vague and oversight weak, they can easily become political weapons,” he said, adding that this fuels fear and uncertainty.

Expressing scepticism about power structures, he said whether they are political leaders or members of civil society, their faces remain the same once they sit in the chair of power.

Narratives of the uprising are being “commodified” for political gain, similar to how the Liberation War was exploited over the past 15 years. The erosion of rights is closely tied to political culture and the electoral cycle.

Zillur Rahman CGS Executive Director

He said threats to free expression are no longer limited to formal state control. “Recently, we have seen supporters of private groups or political parties directly targeting media and cultural institutions with violence,” he added.

Zillur criticised the state’s inaction during arson attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, calling them among the most shameful incidents in recent history.

He also cited the demolition of the historic Dhanmondi 32 residence as an example of state-enabled mob rule.

Law Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul said the interim government is under severe strain, revealing that three to four advisers had considered resigning due to what he described as unjust attacks, obscene abuse, and death threats.

He said they stayed on after Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus warned that even one resignation would weaken the entire administration.

Defending the government against what he termed as “heartless” criticism, Asif said it is currently the only entity without freedom of speech.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said mob culture did not arise on its own but was enabled by the state.

He said extortion, tender manipulation and land grabbing have continued since the uprising, with political parties still relying on “money, muscle and religion”.

He also criticised amendments to the Human Rights Commission ordinance, saying a quietly added provision in December weakened the body.

Human rights activist Sara Hossain urged political parties to stop filing proxy defamation cases to silence critics. “Public figures must face criticism. Cases should not be filed unless there is a real threat to life,” she said.

She called for urgent reform of colonial-era laws such as the Contempt of Court Act, the Sedition Act and provisions on hurting religious sentiments.

Sara also called on the media to speak out more strongly for colleagues still in detention,

Senior journalist Muktadir Rashid Romeo said the country has moved from “freedom of expression” to “freedom of the mob”.

AB Party Joint Secretary Nasrin Sultana Milli warned that the upcoming election could become a “coffin-bearing election” due to voter fear.

Gono Odhikar Parishad Senior Vice President Faruk Hasan alleged the election is pre-engineered, claiming that the government, Election Commission, administration and police are aligned to ensure a specific outcome.

Pallab Changma, executive director of Kapaeeng Foundation, said regime change has not ensured safety for the country’s 3-4 million indigenous people.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim said human rights are often shaped by ideology rather than humanity, with mob violence emerging from suppressed public opinion.

CGS Executive Director Parvez Karim Abbasi, Jahangirnagar University Professor Abdul Latif Masum, Socialist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Gonoforum’s Golam Mostofa, Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan and CPB leader Ragib Hossain Munna also spoke at the programme.