Bangladesh: Requirement to inform individuals of charges laid against them or dropped, including related documents provided to the accused; content, appearance and security features of documents related to charges laid; ability to request copies; samples (2024−June 2026)
1. Legal Requirement to Inform an Accused of Charges
Sources indicate that Bangladesh law requires an arrested person to be informed of the reason for their arrest (Associate Professor 2026-03-30) or that persons facing criminal charges have the right to be informed of their charges "promptly and in a language they understand" (TRW 2026-05-06).
Article 33 of the Constitution of People's Republic of Bangladesh provides the following:
[33. (1) No person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for such arrest, nor shall he be denied the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.
(2) Every person who is arrested and detained in custody shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest, excluding the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Court of the magistrate, and no such person shall be detained in custody beyond the said period without the authority of a magistrate.
(3) Nothing in clauses (1) and (2) shall apply to any person–
(a) who for the time being is an enemy alien; or
(b) who is arrested or detained under any law providing for preventive detention.
… (Bangladesh 1972, footnote omitted and square bracket in original)
Human Rights Watch states that the Special Powers Act allows "preventive detention" (2025-07-30). Other sources note that under this Act, detainees are held without being informed of the reason for their detention (Nawal 2025-03-05; Foysal 2025-04-25). For information on the Special Powers Act, including notification requirements, see Response to Information Request BGD202591 of May 2026.
1.1. Information Provided Upon Arrest
Section 46(A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, provides the following on the procedure of arrest:
[46A. In making an arrest, the police-officer or other person making the same shall-
(a) bear an accurate, visible and clear identification of his name which will facilitate easy identification;
(b) disclose his identity and if demanded, shall show his identity card to the person arrested and to the persons present at the time of arrest;
(c) prepare a memorandum of arrest which shall be-
(i) attested by at least one witness, who is a member of the family of the person arrested or a respectable inhabitant of the locality where the arrest is made and where no such witness is available, the reasons thereof be recorded in the memorandum;
(ii) countersigned or thumb-impressed by the person arrested if not refused by him;
(d) intimate, where the accused is arrested from a place other than his residence, to a family member, relative, or a friend nominated by the person arrested, as soon as practicable but not later than twelve hours from the time of such arrest, notifying the time and place of arrest and the place of custody;
(e) ensure, if any mark of injury is found on the body of the person arrested, the examination and first aid treatment of the person by a medical officer or a registered medical practitioner, as the case may be, in accordance with section 46E; obtain a certificate from the attending medical officer or practitioner; and record the reasons for such injury;
(f) allow the person arrested, if he so desires, to consult a lawyer of his choice or to meet any of his nearest relation, preferably within twelve hours of such arrest. (Bangladesh 1898a, footnote omitted and square bracket in original)
The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following on arrests without warrants:
54A. Every police-officer arresting any person without warrant shall, at the time of making arrest, communicate to him the reasons for which he is arrested.
…
56. (1) When any officer in charge of a police-station or any police-officer making an investigation under Chapter XIV requires any officer subordinate to him to arrest without a warrant (otherwise than in his presence) any person who may lawfully be arrested without a warrant, he shall deliver to the officer required to make the arrest an order in writing, specifying the person to be arrested and the offence or other cause for which the arrest is to be made. The officer so required shall, before making the arrest, notify to the person to be arrested the substance of the order and, if so required by such person, shall show him the order. (Bangladesh 1898a)
1.2. Information Provided at Trial
The Routes to Remedy (R2R) Toolkit, a resource providing guidance on accessing grievance mechanisms developed by the UNDP with support from the Government of Sweden (R2R n.d.a), indicates that the accused has the "the right to be officially informed of the content of the charges" at their criminal trial (n.d.b).
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a lawyer and senior lecturer at the Independent University, Bangladesh, noted that under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the authorities are required to inform an accused of the charges when a "formal charge has been framed by the court"; however, the Code does not "explicitly" require a "physical copy of the charges" be given to the accused "in all cases" (Senior Lecturer 2026-04-04). Section 265D of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following on framing a charge:
265D.(1) If, after such consideration and hearing as aforesaid, the Court is of opinion that there is ground for presuming that the accused has committed an offence, it shall frame in writing a charge against the accused.
(2) Where the Court frames a charge under sub-section (1), the charge shall be read and explained to the accused shall be asked whether he pleads guilty of the offence charged or claims to be tried. (Bangladesh 1898a)
The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
Forms of Charges
221.(1) Every charge under this Code shall state the offence with which the accused is charged.
…
(6) The charge shall be written either in English or in the language of the Court.
…
222.(1) The charge shall contain such particulars as to the time and place of the alleged offence, and the person (if any) against whom, or the thing (if any) in respect of which, it was committed, as are reasonably sufficient to give the accused notice of the matter with which he is charged.
… (Bangladesh 1898a)
2. Documents Provided to the Accused Related to Charges
The Senior Lecturer stated that the First Information Report (FIR), charge sheet, police report and complaint petition are the main documents provided to the accused (2026-04-04). Samples of these documents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
The Senior Lecturer added that the legal counsel of the accused can request certified copies of court records through a formal application (2026-04-04). For information on certified copies of police and court-related documents, including requirements and procedures to obtain them, see Response to Information Request BGD202590 of June 2026.
The information in the following paragraph was provided in report by Australia's Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs (DFAT):
Court bureaucracy is "slow" and officials "demand bribes" to move documents or to complete "simple processes." According to "in-country sources," corruption is "more pronounced" in lower levels of the courts. Issues like "poor storage and difficulty accessing records" occur "often" due to "poor" infrastructure. While it is "possible" to access court documents by paying both "fees and bribes," the "poor are unlikely" to have access to the courts due to the high cost and necessity to pay bribes (Australia 2025-07-23, para. 5.11, 5.12).
A 2024 letter from the British High Commission in Bangladesh similarly indicates, based on field trips to verify documents at courts and police stations across the country, and later published in a UK Home Office report, that court officials "are not always cooperative" and "sometimes expect a bribe" for their assistance (UK 2024-11, 22). The Senior Lecturer noted that procedural and bureaucratic delay is "common" (2026-04-04). When asked whether the accused face any risks when making a request for these documents, the Senior Lecturer responded that not "much risk has been observed in practice" since it is "[u]sually" the lawyer who collects the documents through "proper" channels (2026-04-04). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
2.1. Charge Sheet and Police Report
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate professor of criminology at the Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University in Bangladesh and PhD student of law at Carleton University, indicated that the charge sheet, also known as "police report," contains the result of the police investigation and police recommendations (along with any documentary evidence, forensic evidence and witness statements) and is among the "primary" legal documents in criminal proceedings (Associate Professor 2026-03-30). The letter from the British High Commission states that the investigating police officer sends the charge sheet, containing the names of the accused awaiting trial, to the court after an "initial investigation" (2024-11, 21). The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
173.(1) Every investigation under this Chapter shall be completed without unnecessary delay, and, as soon as it is completed, the officer in charge of the police-station shall-
(a) forward to a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence on a police-report a report, in the form prescribed by the Government, setting forth the names of the parties, the nature of the information and the names of the persons who appear to be acquainted with the circumstances of the case, and stating whether the accused (if arrested) has been forwarded in custody or has been released on his bond, and, if so, whether with or without sureties, and
(b) communicate, in such manner as may be prescribed by the Government, the action taken by him to the person, if any, by whom the information relating to the commission of the offence was first given.
…
[(3A) When such report is in respect of a case to which section 170 applies, the police-officer shall forward to the Magistrate along with the report-
(a) all documents or relevant extracts thereof on which the prosecution proposes to rely other than those already sent to the Magistrate during investigation;
(b) the statements recorded under sub-section (3) of section 161 of all the persons whom the prosecution proposes to examine as its witnesses.
(3B) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to preclude further investigation in respect of an offence after a report under sub-section (1) has been forwarded to the Magistrate and, whereupon such investigation, the officer in charge of the police-station obtains further evidence, oral or documentary, he shall forward to the Magistrate a further report or reports regarding such evidence in the form prescribed; and the provisions of sub-section (1) to (3A) shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to such report or reports as they apply in relation to a report forwarded under sub-section (1).]
(4) a copy of any report forwarded under this section shall on application, be furnished to the accused before the commencement of the inquiry or trial:
Provided that the same shall be paid for unless the Magistrate for some special reason thinks fit to furnish it free of cost. (Bangladesh 1898a, footnote omitted and square brackets in original)
The Senior Lecturer indicated that "[i]n principle," the charge sheet is "typically" provided to the accused or their counsel (2026-04-04). The Associate Professor similarly stated that "[i]n principle," the charge sheet forms a part of the "official record" and added that they may be accessed by the accused or their counsel through "court procedures" (Associate Professor 2026-03-30).
According to an April 2026 letter from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a nonprofit press freedom organization, 4 journalists accused of murder have been detained for 18 months without any charge sheets provided (2026-04-27). A December 2025 BBC article notes that a British member of parliament and family relative of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced in absentia to 2 years in prison in Bangladesh for corruption, indicated that they did not receive a charge sheet (2025-12-01).
According to English-language daily newspaper the Daily Star [1], the Bangladesh Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) reports that "only" 13,376 out of 122,422 narcotics-related cases filed between January 2020 and April 2025 have been resolved due to what authorities say is "weak evidence, poor case preparation, and delays in legal proceedings" (2025-06-26). The same source notes that to meet the first submission deadline for charge sheets of 15 days after the arrest, which requires that all accused be arrested and evidence be ready, and without which investigators can request an extension of 30 days, "'[m]any'" police officers fail to complete "'thorough'" investigations and instead submit charge sheets "without proper evidence" (The Daily Star 2025-06-26).
2.2. FIR
The Senior Lecturer indicated that the FIR contains a description of the offence and the corresponding provision of the Penal Code; its security features include a court seal or stamp, as well as the signature of an "authorized officer" or magistrate (2026-04-04). For further information on the FIR, including its content and appearance, as well as a sample, see Response to Information Request BGD200855 of January 2022.
According to the Associate Professor, "[i]n principle," the FIR, along with the charge sheet, may be accessed by the accused or their legal counsel through "court procedures" (2026-03-30).
2.3. Police General Diaries (GD)
The website of Advocacy Legal, a "full-service law firm" based in Dhaka whose areas of practice include criminal law (Advocacy Legal n.d.), defines a GD as follows:
[A]n official record kept at police stations to log daily events, minor disputes, or incidents that may not immediately warrant investigation or legal action. It functions as a precautionary measure, documenting situations that could potentially develop into criminal cases. (2024-10-04)
For further information on GDs, including purpose, content, usage, and a template form, see Response to Information Request BGD202346 of July 2025.
Sections 46(B) and 46C of the Code of Criminal Procedure on "providing information relating to arrest" indicate the following:
46B. (1) An entry shall be made in the official register by the officer making the arrest, stating the ground of arrest, the name and particulars of the informant or complainant, the name and particulars of the relative or friend, as the case may be, to whom information about the arrest has been given, and the name and particulars of the officer having custody of the person arrested.
(2) Every arrest made within the jurisdiction of a police-station shall be entered forthwith in the general diary of such station, and where the officer making the arrest is not attached to the said police-station, he shall, immediately after making such arrest, cause a copy of the memorandum of arrest to be furnished to the officer-in-charge of the said police-station, who shall thereupon cause an entry thereof to be made in the general diary.
(3) The officer responsible for maintaining the register or the general diary under sub-sections (1) and (2) shall, on demand, be bound to furnish information relating to such arrest to any relative, friend, or neighbour of the person arrested.
46C. District Superintendent of Police in every district, or Police Commissioner in every Metropolitan area, as the case may be, shall designate a police-officer not below the rank of an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police in every district or Metropolitan headquarters and in every police station, for maintaining the information regarding the names and addresses of persons arrested and the nature of the offence for which they have been arrested; and such information shall be prominently displayed, preferably in digital form, at every police station and at the district or Metropolitan headquarters. (Bangladesh 1898a)
2.4. Complaint Petition
The website of Roy & Associates, a Bangladesh-based law firm whose practice areas include criminal law (Roy & Associates n.d.a), indicates that a complaint petition is an oral or written allegation presented to a magistrate (n.d.b). Section 4(h) of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
(h) "complaint" means the allegation made orally or in writing to a Magistrate, with a view to his taking action under this Code, that some person whether known or unknown, has committed an offence, but it does not include the report of a police-officer … (Bangladesh 1898a)
According to the Senior Lecturer, a complaint petition is one of the main documents provided to the accused (2026-04-04). The same source added that if a summons [or a warrant] is issued, the complaint petition is provided alongside these documents (Senior Lecturer 2026-04-04). The Senior Lecturer further noted that the complaint petition contains the allegations and the "corresponding provision" of the Penal Code or "any other special laws" (2026-04-04).
The information in the following paragraph was provided by Roy & Associates:
The complaint petition is filed before a magistrate, which can be either a Chief Judicial Magistrate, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, or a magistrate authorized on their behalf. According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, the magistrate examines the complainant, records the complainant's statement in writing, and both the magistrate and complainant sign the complaint petition. The magistrate can then decide to issue a summons or warrant if there is "sufficient ground" to proceed or dismiss the complaint if there is not. Additionally, the magistrate can start an investigate before making their decision (Roy & Associates n.d.b).
The Code of the Criminal Procedure provides the following:
200. A Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence on complaint shall at once examine [upon oath the complainant and such of the witnesses present, if any, as he may consider necessary,] and the substance of the examination shall be reduced to writing and shall be signed [by the complainant or witness so examined], and also by the Magistrate …
…
204.(1) If in the opinion of a Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence there is sufficient ground for proceeding, and the case appears to be one in which, according to the fourth column of the second schedule, a summons should issue in the first instance, he shall issue his summons for the attendance of the accused. If the case appears to be one in which, according to that column, a warrant should issue in the first instance, he may issue a warrant, or, if he thinks fit, a summons, for causing the accused to be brought or to appear at a certain time before such Magistrate or (if he has not jurisdiction himself) some other Magistrate having jurisdiction.
…
(1B) In a proceeding instituted upon a complaint made in writing, every summons or warrant issued under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by a copy of such complaint.
… (Bangladesh 1898a, footnotes omitted and square brackets in original)
The second schedule of the Code of Criminal Procedure is available online (Bangladesh 1898b).
2.5. Summons
The Senior Lecturer indicated that a magistrate can issue a summons to the accused (2026-03-30). The website of Md. Shah Alam, a Dhaka-based lawyer practicing criminal and civil litigation at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (Alam n.d.), states that a summons, delivered by the court bailiff or police, "directs a person to appear before the court on a specific date" (2026-03-26).
The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
68.(1) Every summons issued by a Court under this Code shall be in writing in duplicate, signed and sealed by the presiding officer of such Court, or by such other officer as the [Supreme Court] may, from time to time, by rule, direct.
(2) Such summons shall be served by a police-officer, or subject to such rules as the Government may prescribe in this behalf, by an officer of the Court issuing it or other public servant.
69.(1) The summons shall, if practicable, be served personally on the person summoned, by delivering or tendering to him one of the duplicates of the summons.
…
[(4) The Court may, in addition to the modes of service provided in the foregoing sections, direct that the summons be served through electronic means such as Short Message Service (SMS), voice call, instant messaging service, or electronic mail, and the proof of such service shall be preserved with the record.]
70. Where the person summoned cannot by the exercise of due diligence be found, the summons may be served by leaving one of the duplicates for him with some adult [***] member of his family, and the person with whom the summons is so left shall, if so required by the serving officer, sign a receipt therefore on the back of the other duplicate.
71. If service in the manner mentioned in sections 69 and 70 cannot by the exercise of due diligence be effected, the serving officer shall affix one of the duplicates of the summons to some conspicuous part of the house or homestead in which the person summoned ordinarily resides; and thereupon the summons shall be deemed to have been duly served. (Bangladesh 1898a, footnotes omitted and square brackets in original)
2.6. Arrest Warrant
The Senior Lecturer indicated that a magistrate can issue an arrest warrant to the accused (2026-04-04).
Md. Shah Alam states that an arrest warrant "is a written court order authorizing the police to arrest and bring a specific person before the court," and the warrant includes the accused's name, description, offence along with the issuing magistrate's signature (2026-03-26). The same source notes that the court makes the arrest bailable or non-bailable, and that the arrest warrant remains "in force" until the accused is arrested or it is withdrawn by the court (Alam 2026-03-26).
The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following on the arrest warrant:
75. (1) Every warrant of arrest issued by a Court under this Code shall be in writing, signed by the presiding officer, or in the case of a Bench of Magistrates, by any member of such Bench, and shall bear the seal of the Court.
(2) Every such warrant shall remain in force until it is cancelled by the Court which issued it, or until it is executed.
…
78. …
(3) When the person against whom such warrant is issued is arrested, he shall be made over with the warrant to the nearest police-officer, who shall cause him to be taken before a Magistrate having jurisdiction in the case, unless security is taken under section 76.
…
80. The police-officer or other person executing a warrant of arrest shall notify the substance thereof to the person to be arrested, and, if so require, shall show him the warrant. (Bangladesh 1898a)
In cases where the warrant cannot be executed, the Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
87.(1) If any Court has reason to believe (whether after taking evidence or not) that any person against whom a warrant has been issued by it has absconded or is concealing himself so that such warrant cannot be executed, such Court may publish a written proclamation requiring him to appear at a specified place and at a specified time not less than thirty days from the date of publishing such proclamation.
(2) The proclamation shall be published as follows:-
(a) it shall be publicly read in some conspicuous place of the town or village in which such person ordinarily resides;
(b) it shall be affixed to some conspicuous part of the house or homestead in which such person ordinarily resides or to some conspicuous place of such town or village; and
(c) a copy thereof shall be affixed to some conspicuous part of the Courthouse.
(3) A statement in writing by the Court issuing the proclamation to the effect that the proclamation was duly published on a specified day shall be conclusive evidence that the requirements of this section have been complied with, and that the proclamation was published on such day. (Bangladesh 1898a)
Alam notes that when an individual is summoned and fails to appear at court without a "valid reason," it is considered contempt and can result in a warrant being issued (2026-03-26). The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
90. A Court may, in any case in which it is empowered by this Code to issue a summons for the appearance of any person [* * *] issue, after recording its reasons in writing, a warrant for his arrest-
(a) if, either before the issue of such summons, or after the issue of the same but before the time fixed for his appearance, the Court sees reason to believe that he has absconded or will not obey the summons; or
(b) if at such time he fails to appear and the summons is proved to have been duly served in time to admit of his appearing in accordance therewith and no reasonable excuse is offered for such failure. (Bangladesh 1898a, footnote omitted and square brackets in original)
2.7. Statement to Police
The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following on statements made to the police:
162.(1) No statement made by any person to a police-officer in the course of an investigation under this Chapter shall, if reduced into writing, be signed by the person making it; nor shall any such statement or any record thereof, whether in a police-diary or otherwise, or any part of such statement or record, be used for any purpose (save as hereinafter provided) at any inquiry or trial in respect of any offence under investigation at the time when such statement was made:
Provided that, when any witness is called for the prosecution in such inquiry or trial whose statement has been reduced into writing as aforesaid, the Court shall on the request of the accused, refer to such writing and direct that the accused be furnished with a copy thereof, in order that any part of such statement, if duly proved, may be used to contradict such witness in the manner provided by section 145 of the Evidence Act, 1872. When any part of such statement is so used, any part thereof may also be used in the re-examination of such witness, but for the purpose only of explaining any matter referred to in his cross-examination:
Provided, further that, if the Court is of opinion that any part of any such statement is not relevant to the subject-matter of the inquiry or trial or that its disclosure to the accused is not essential in the interests of justice and is inexpedient in the public interests, it shall record such opinion (but not the reasons therefor) and shall exclude such part from the copy of the statement furnished to the accused. (Bangladesh 1898a)
Further information on statements to the police could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
3. Examples of Cases of Accused Persons Not Informed of Charges Upon Arrest
The information in the following paragraph was provided by a 21 October 2025 report by the UN working group on arbitrary detention:
According to a complaint submitted to the UN Working Group, around midnight on 17 September 2024, a Bangladesh human rights activist, journalist, and filmmaker was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and told that it was "in relation to a murder case," but "no further details were provided." In the morning of the same day, the filmmaker was presented before a magistrate, who indicated that they were accused in "a murder case" and that the investigation was "pending." At a 23 September 2024 magistrate court hearing, 9 cases were presented against the filmmaker "involving the crime of murder by direct or indirect inducement and relating to killings during the protests of July and August 2024," including 6 cases that the filmmaker was "'arrested'" for while detained. As of October 2025, the filmmaker remains in pretrial detention, without a scheduled trial (UN 2025-10-21, 2, 3, 7).
The information in the following paragraph was provided by a 20 October 2025 UN working group on arbitrary detention report:
According to a complaint submitted to the UN working group, a refugee and member of the Rohingya community was arrested on 19 January 2023. Between the time of their arrest and their first court hearing on 30 May 2023, they were not informed of the reason for their arrest, nor of the charges laid against them. At the first hearing, no charges were read or "officially presented"; the allegations were explained by a "local lawyer" who represented the refugee at the time. Further attempts to clarify the charges "have not been successful." The refugee's family was able to access a charge sheet that was issued in November 2023. However, it remains "uncertain" as to "when an official notification of the charges was issued, by whom it was issued and what was listed in the notification" (UN 2025-10-20, 2, 3, 4).
4. Examples of Cases of Charges Dropped
Media sources from February and April 2026, citing information from the Bangladesh Ministry Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, indicate that 23,865 "politically motivated" cases [filed by Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government (BSS 2026-02-08)] have since been withdrawn (BSS 2026-02-08; UNB 2026-04-02). State news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) notes that in September 2024 committees were set up at the ministry and district level by the interim government to review these cases (2025-04-27). Another BSS article notes that the committees were reviewing cases that were filed between 6 January 2009 and 5 August 2024 (2026-02-08).
According to BSS, applicants can request a withdrawal by "fil[ing] their plea" at the "solicitor wing" at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, at the Supreme Court's law and justice division or through email at solicitor.lawjusticediv.gov.bd (2025-04-27). A Daily Star article notes that the Law Advisor of the interim government encouraged political parties to submit cases to the review committees (2025-05-28). The Law Advisor indicated that there have been delays in reviewing cases since some required documents, including FIRs and chargesheets, which have not been submitted by the parties (Daily Star 2025-05-28). BSS notes that the government will accept certified photocopies of FIRs or "formal charge" should there be difficulties obtaining certified copies of these documents (2025-04-27).
United News of Bangladesh (UNB) [2], a private wire service (UNB n.d.), notes that after taking office in March 2026, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government formed district-level committees to review applications for the withdrawal of "politically motivated cases," which includes FIRs, certified copies of charge sheets and "opinions" from prosecutors (2026-04-30). For further information on the BNP, see Response to Information Request BGD202582 of May 2026.
Based on their review of publicly available information on the subject, the Associate Professor observed that the review process for these cases has been "evolving over time" and have included "unevenly documented evidence of case review, recommended withdrawal, and selective cancellation of certain categories of cases" (2026-03-30). The same source added that there is no single set of "official and publicly searchable" data on the cases withdrawn, including who had their cases withdrawn and on what grounds (Associate Professor 2026-03-30). Citing the Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, UNB indicates that the government has no "precise statistics" on the number of cases filed against members of the BNP and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) (2026-04-30). The same source notes that the Minister stated that it is difficult to determine exact statistics because "political identity is not mentioned in the First Information Report at the time of filing a case" (UNB 2026-04-30). For information on the BJI, see Response to Information Request BGD202305 of July 2025.
According to sources, in 2025, the Bangladesh interim government dropped criminal charges against 48,000 garment workers who were arrested during wage protest that took place in November 2023 under the Hasina administration (BHRC 2025-10-23; BoF 2025-10-24). According to the Business of Fashion (BoF), a "media and intelligence" company focusing on the fashion and beauty industries (BoF n.d.), factory owners and the state accused the workers of "serious crimes," including arson and murder; labour groups asserted that the charges were filed without evidence (2025-10-24). The same source adds that some cases were dismissed in 2024 due to "pressure" from international labour rights campaign; the state dropped "all remaining charges" when the interim government came to power (BoF 2025-10-24).
Sources note that in January 2026, the interim government issued the July Mass Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Ordinance, 2026 to grant legal protection to participants of the July uprising [3], to withdraw cases against the participants and to ensure no cases will be filed in the future; it is considered in effect retroactively from 1 July 2024 (BSS 2026-01-26; The Daily Star 2026-01-26). Other sources specify that the Ordinance covers activities that occurred between July and August 2024 (Dhaka Tribune 2025-01-15; New Age 2026-01-15).
The Daily Star states that in April 2026, the parliament passed the July Mass Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Bill, 2026, based on the Ordinance; the Bill also provides the procedure for withdrawing pending cases (2026-04-08). The same source notes that in any active case against a July uprising participant, a relevant court will withdraw the case upon an application by a public prosecutor or government appointed lawyer, "subject to certification by the government"; the accused "will be immediately discharged or acquitted" (The Daily Star 2026-04-08). If there is an allegation of murder involved, these complaints will be directed to the National Human Rights Commission for investigations; if the Commission finds that the "act" was for "criminal misuse of the chaotic situation," the case will be reported to the relevant courts (The Daily Star 2026-04-08). Information on implementation could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
4.1. Requirement to Inform Accused of Charges Dropped
The Senior Lecturer stated that to drop charges the court needs to pass an order and record the acquittal or discharge (2026-04-04). The same source noted that the documents issued when charges are dropped can include a Discharge Order, if the hearing is in front of a magistrate, or an Acquittal Judgement, if the trial has started (Senior Lecturer 2026-04-04). According to a paper by Md. Abdul Mannan Bhuyean, a PhD scholar at the University of Dhaka and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Information Technology and Sciences in Dhaka, an "order of acquittal" can be issued after the court has examined the evidence and the accused, and has found the accused not guilty (Bhuyean 2025, 147, 149).
The Code of Criminal Procedure provides the following:
[241A. When the accused appears or is brought before the Magistrate, and if the Magistrate, upon consideration of the record of the case and the documents submitted therewith and making such examination, if any, of the accused as the Magistrate thinks necessary and after giving the prosecution and the accused an opportunity of being heard, considers the charge to be groundless, he shall discharge the accused and record his reasons for so doing.]
…
265C. If, upon consideration of the record of the case and the documents submitted therewith, and after hearing the submissions of the accused and the prosecution in this behalf, the Court considers that there is no sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused, it shall discharge the accused and record the reasons for so doing. (Bangladesh 1898a, footnote omitted and square brackets in original)
The Associate Professor stated that in contrast to the procedure set out in the 2026 Ordinance, there is no "clear, standardized notification mechanism" for an "ordinary" accused person; "[c]ommunication to the accused often occurs indirectly through counsel, court appearance, or later retrieval of certified documents" (2026-03-30). Similarly, the Senior Lecturer indicated that there is "no formal process" for informing the accused that charges have been dropped (2026-04-04). The same source added that this information is provided through court proceedings and that "[g]enerally," the accused's lawyer monitors the case's progress to find out if charges are dropped, which "generally happens after [the] hearing of the charge framing" (Senior Lecturer 2026-04-04).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Notes
[1] Sources indicate that the Daily Star has a "reputation for non-partisan quality reportage" (Shongjog MSP 2021-10-12) or has been critical of the AL government on "various issues" (BBC 2016-02-18) or has "maintain[ed] a certain editorial independence" from the government (RSF [2025]). [back]
[2] Media Landscapes, a website run by the European Journalism Centre in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science that provides information on "news and media ecosystems" (Media Landscapes n.d.a), indicates that UNB has the "reputation of a credible news service," but that its service has "shrunk due to a curtail of manpower" (n.d.b). A March 2026 UNB article notes that their editor, Mahfuzur Rahman, has been appointed as the Prime Minister's speechwriter (2026-03-02).[back]
[3] The July uprising is the mass protest movement that toppled the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024 (BBC 2026-02-04).[back]
References
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Alam, Md. Shah. N.d. Homepage. [Accessed 2026-05-25]
Associate Professor, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. 2026-03-30. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.
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Bangladesh. 1898a (amended 2025). The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. [Accessed 2026-04-13]
Bangladesh.1898b (amended 2025). The Code of Criminal Procedure: Schedule II. [Accessed 2026-05-11]
Bangladesh. 1972 (amended 2011). The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. [Accessed 2026-03-09]
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Bhuyean, Md. Abdul Mannan. 2025. "Criminal Proceedings Under the Legal Scheme in Bangladesh: An Expounding Study." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Trends. Vol. 7, Issue 4. [Accessed 2026-05-28]
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The Daily Star. 2025-05-28. "11,448 Politically Motivated Cases Recommended for Withdrawal: Asif Nazrul." [Accessed 2026-06-03]
Dhaka Tribune. 2026-01-15. "Govt Grants Legal Immunity to July Fighters." [Accessed 2026-05-28]
Foysal, Quazi Omar. 2025-04-25. "Reassessing Preventive Detention Laws in Bangladesh After the Meghna Alam Incident." Oxford Human Rights Hub, University of Oxford. [Accessed 2026-04-10]
Human Rights Watch. 2025-07-30. "Bangladesh: Year Since Hasina Fled, Rights Challenges Abound." [Accessed 2026-04-10]
Media Landscapes. N.d.a. "Foreword." [Accessed 2026-05-07]
Media Landscapes. N.d.b. M. Abdul Kalam Azad. "News Agencies." Bangladesh. [Accessed 2026-05-07]
Nawal, Noshin. 2025-03-05. "Special Powers Act, 1974: Bangladesh's Forgotten Villain." The Daily Star. [Accessed 2026-04-20]
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Routes to Remedy (R2R). N.d.b. "Wrongfully Accused and Prosecuted in Bangladesh: Facing Criminal Charges and Filing a Criminal Complaint once the Charges Against You Have Been Dropped." [Accessed 2026-03-09]
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Roy & Associates. N.d.b. "How to File a Criminal Case in Bangladesh." [Accessed 2026-05-09]
Senior Lecturer, Independent University, Bangladesh. 2026-04-04. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.
Shongjog Multi-Stakeholder Platform (Shongjog MSP). 2021-10-12. "Media Landscape Guide." [Accessed 2025-05-15]
Tahmidur Remura Wahid (TRW). 2026-05-06. Tahmidur Remura Wahid. "Legal Rights Under Criminal Law Bangladesh: Complete Guide (2026)." [Accessed 2026-05-20]
United Kingdom (UK). 2024-11. Home Office. Country Information Note. Bangladesh: Documentation. [Accessed 2026-05-20]
United Nations (UN). 2025-10-21. Human Rights Council. Opinions Adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at Its 103rd Session, 25–29 August 2025: Opinion No. 40/2025 Concerning Shahriar Kabir (Bangladesh). (A/HRC/WGAD/2025/40) [Accessed 2026-03-24]
United Nations (UN). 2025-10-20. Human Rights Council. Opinions Adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at Its 103rd Session, 25-29 August 2025: Opinion No. 39/2025 Concerning Dil Mohammed (Bangladesh). (A/HRC/WGAD/2025/39) [Accessed 2026-05-05]
United News of Bangladesh (UNB). 2026-04-30. "Law Minister: 23,865 Political Cases Dropped, More Under Review." [Accessed 2026-05-07]
United News of Bangladesh (UNB). 2026-04-02. "23,865 Politically Motivated Cases Lifted." [Accessed 2026-04-09]
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Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: Ain O Salish; associate professor specializing in law and former advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh; Bangladesh – High Commission in Ottawa; lawyers in Bangladesh (3).
Internet Sites, including: Al Jazeera; Amnesty International; Austrian Red Cross – ecoi.net; Bangladesh – Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Home Affairs; BD Law Post; CIVICUS; The Daily Observer; The Diplomat; ETV Bharat; EU − EU Agency for Asylum; Freedom House; InfoSheba; Law Gratis; Pressenza; Prothom Alo; UN – Refworld; University of Melbourne – Asian Law Database; US – Department of State, Law Library of Congress; World Legal Information Institute.