Dhaka rights groups demand accountability after mass sentencing in Bhatara raid

Four human rights organizations—Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), Naripokkho, and Sapran—have called for an investigation into the mass sentencing of 84 individuals following a police raid in Dhaka’s Bhatara area.

The raid occurred on the night of October 19, 2026, at a rented residence in the Police Officers’ Housing Society-1 belonging to an Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police. During the operation, 26 women and 58 men were detained. A mobile court subsequently sentenced the men to one month in prison and a fine of Tk 1,000 each, while the women received 15 days of imprisonment and a Tk 500 fine.

Critics and rights groups have raised several concerns regarding the legality of the proceedings. Specifically, they noted that sentences for drug consumption were handed down without mandatory medical testing to verify usage. Additionally, there are allegations regarding the illegal collection and circulation of the detainees’ personal information, including videos and photographs, in violation of the Personal Data Protection Act, 2026. The organizations are demanding an impartial investigation into potential abuses of power and the protection of constitutional rights to privacy and due process.