Global Justice Network Appeals to Four International Organisations Over Bangladesh’s Democratic Environment

The Global Justice Network (GJN) has initiated an international review of the restrictions imposed on peaceful political activity and civic participation in Bangladesh. The organization has appealed and contacted four international organizations, including a UN Special Rapporteur, in this regard. The initiative comes in the context of concerns about attacks on the media, the decline in the purchasing power of the general public, and the safety of witnesses in cases of human rights violations.

On November 1, 2026, GJN requested four international organizations to review various aspects of restrictions on peaceful political activities in Bangladesh. For this, two online forms were filled out and two emails were sent. The organization called for an investigation into the legal basis and practical implementation of the restrictions, citing public documents and legal information in its application.

GJN’s appeal to four international organizations

GJN’s first appeal has been sent to the office of Gina Romero, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to peaceful assembly and association. The organization has requested the government to explain the reasons for the restrictions imposed on political activity and peaceful participation in Bangladesh, their duration, and the possibilities for appeal or seeking redress against these decisions.

Under the UN Special Procedures, the relevant expert can seek explanations from a country and recommend necessary measures. However, such recommendations cannot directly lift a country’s domestic sanctions.

Secondly, GJN requested Amnesty International to update its assessment of the sanctions imposed on Bangladesh. For this, the organization’s prescribed reporting form and email confirmation process have also been completed.

Third, in a message sent to the Geneva office of Human Rights Watch, GJN requested that the matter be referred to the Bangladesh Research Group. They specifically called for an investigation into the situation based on verifiable facts and information. The organization claims that the petition did not include any confidential testimony or information that could reveal the identities of the victims.

Fourth, the organization has requested the Commonwealth Secretariat to initiate a dialogue with Bangladesh on political participation and legal protection through its contact form. Although the form has been confirmed to have been submitted, the report states that no formal or detailed response has been received from any of the four organizations so far.

Attacks on the media and concerns about civil security

The recent attacks on the media have also served as an important backdrop for GJN’s initiative. On the night of December 18, 2025, the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka were attacked, vandalized, and set on fire. The Daily Star reported that 28 journalists and staff of the newspaper were forced to take shelter on the roof of the building amid the fire and smoke. They were later rescued by members of the army and fire service.

Such attacks not only endanger the safety of media workers, but also affect the general public’s right to information and the environment for the free publication of events of public interest. In December 2025, seven international human rights and media organizations also expressed concern about attacks on media and cultural institutions in Bangladesh.

Cost of living and people’s right to participate

Along with concerns about political and civil rights, the economic situation of the common people also received importance in the report. The World Bank’s Bangladesh Development Update, published on October 6, 2026, said that high inflation has reduced people’s purchasing power, investment and export activities have slowed down, and job creation has stalled. According to the organization, about 2.1 million people have fallen into poverty again in the 2026 fiscal year compared to the previous year.

The News in Trends report states that these economic data are not GJN’s own findings or conclusions in the application sent to the four institutions; rather, they are presented as an assessment by the World Bank to illustrate the larger context of citizen participation. As people’s income and purchasing power decline, the need to question employment, policymaking, and government decisions, and to organize, becomes even more important.

No official response from international organizations yet

According to the report, GJN has not received any detailed responses from the four organizations as of November 2. This means that although the process of sending applications and submitting online forms has been completed, the report does not contain information that any international organization has yet sought a formal explanation from Bangladesh.

The report also mentions a letter sent by UN experts on December 29, 2025. However, that is not part of the GJN’s November 2026 initiative; it is a separate, previous document.

The further progress of this GJN initiative will depend on whether the relevant international institutions review the issue and issue any inquiries, requests for information, dialogue or public statements. For now, the initiative is being considered as a new attempt to engage in international discussions on peaceful political participation, press freedom and citizen security in Bangladesh.