HR bodies blast sentencing by mobile court

Four human rights organisations have called for an end to mass sentencing through mobile courts, demanding an impartial investigation into the detention and imprisonment of 84 people in Dhaka’s Bhatara area and accountability for any violation of their fundamental rights.

In a joint statement, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), Naripokkho and SAPRAN urged the authorities to stop arbitrary intrusion into private lives and “moral policing”, stressing that citizens’ liberty, privacy and dignity must be protected.

On October 20, a raid on a house in Bhatara, reportedly rented out by an additional deputy inspector general of police, led to the detention of 84 people, including 26 women and 58 men, during a gathering described in media reports as a “DJ party”.

A mobile court subsequently sentenced the men to one month in prison and the women to 15 days.

The organisations called for an impartial inquiry into whether there had been any abuse of power or violation of rights during the arrests, detention and sentencing, demanding that those responsible be held accountable.

They also sought legal action under the Personal Data Protection Act, 2026, against those responsible for the unlawful collection and dissemination of detainees’ personal information, including photographs, videos and identities.

The groups stressed that allegations of criminal conduct must be established through due process, warning against portraying anyone as a criminal on the basis of social perceptions, assumptions or suggestive remarks.

Citing Articles 31 and 32 of the Constitution, they recalled that every citizen is entitled to the protection of the law and the safeguards of life and personal liberty. Article 33 also provides safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention, including the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner.

The organisations further pointed to provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure requiring arrested individuals to be informed of the grounds for their arrest and highlighting safeguards concerning identification and access to legal counsel.

They urged the authorities to ensure that these protections are upheld and that allegations and evidence against each detainee are assessed individually, rather than imposing collective punishment without adequate consideration of individual circumstances.

The groups emphasised that protecting public order cannot come at the expense of constitutional guarantees, due process and human dignity.