Dhaka, 13 July 2025 — Amidst a historic political transition in Bangladesh, a Transitional Justice Course and Civil Society Exchange was held in Dhaka 11 to 13 July 2025. The event convened over 80 human rights activists, civil society organizations (CSOs), academics, and regional experts, including 34 training participants, from across Bangladesh.
The initiative, organised by Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) and Actions for National Transformation, Advancement & Reforms (ANTAR), Bangladesh, with support from the Global Hub on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation, seeks to foster meaningful dialogue around justice, accountability, and reform during a critical period in Bangladesh’s democratic shift.
Bangladesh has long experienced political instability, characterised by power shifts between two major parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and documented concerns regarding corruption, electoral manipulation, and suppression of dissent. Recent years saw civic space further constricted, particularly for student movements and human rights defenders.
In mid-2024, widespread student-led protests erupted over a controversial job quota system, symbolising growing frustration with authoritarian rule. The government’s violent crackdown, resulting in more than 200 fatalities, tens of thousands of injuries, and mass arrests, sparked national and international outcry. Mounting pressure ultimately led to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the appointment of an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Recently, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has indicted Sheikh Hasina and two senior officials over alleged crimes against humanity linked to a deadly crackdown on protesters during last year’s July uprising. This political shift has created a rare and urgent opportunity for democratic renewal, while also raising crucial questions about justice for past abuses and long-term institutional reform.
AJAR has been working in Bangladesh since 2019, focusing on support for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. Given Bangladesh’s current transitional stage toward establishing a new democratic government, fostering discourse on transitional justice and accountability, it is timely to promote public participation in addressing truth, justice, and reparation.
The training commenced with a half-day public seminar. Dr. Tofail Ahmed, a prominent Local Government Expert, delivered the keynote address, reflecting on the growing crisis of transitional justice in post-conflict societies, warning of the risks of justice being delayed, denied, or replaced by “mob justice,” a non-judicial retribution. He emphasised the urgent need to bridge the gap between promises and delivery to ensure meaningful and accountable justice processes.
Patrick Burgess, President of AJAR, reaffirmed the importance of contextual approaches to transitional justice. He underscored that real change comes when strategies are simplified, made inclusive, and adapted to local needs, stating, “Justice after conflict cannot be imported, it must be rooted in the voices and experiences of those who lived through it.“
The seminar was followed by a three-day training on transitional justice, which equipped participants with essential frameworks, practical tools, and comparative insights to strengthen truth-seeking, justice, and accountability efforts in Bangladesh. Throughout the program, participants engaged deeply with the four key pillars of transitional justice, truth-seeking, prosecutions, reparations, and institutional reform, and explored how these components can be effectively contextualised and implemented in post-conflict and transitional settings.
Drawing on experiences from South Africa, Colombia, Thailand, and Indonesia, the course emphasised survivor-centered and locally led approaches as essential to addressing the root causes of conflict and rebuilding public trust. Expert speakers of Pornpen Khongkachonkiet (Cross Cultural Foundation, CrCF), Paola Molano Ayala (Dejusticia), Annah Moyo (Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, CSVR) and AJAR Learning, Communication and Development Manager, Dodi Yuniar, shared practical insights and comparative lessons, highlighting the challenges, achievements, and hopes reflected in civil society initiatives across the region. Building on these regional and global perspectives, participants collaboratively developed a transitional justice roadmap tailored to Bangladesh’s current context.
This exchange marks a significant step in building solidarity between survivors, civil society, and the interim government, shaping a new vision for accountability and democratic reform in the region. It reflects growing momentum to ensure that the transition in Bangladesh prioritises truth, justice, and dignity for all, especially the victims and marginalised communities, including the Rohingya. A participant reflected the program:
The training on transitional justice was highly insightful and enriching. It offered a comprehensive understanding of justice mechanisms in post-conflict societies. The training not only broadened our conceptual framework but also enhanced our practical skills to engage with transitional justice processes in diverse contexts.
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Since 2019, AJAR and partners have collaborated with Rohingya women survivors in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, establishing solidarity and learning circles to empower women survivors in human rights advocacy, healing, and peer support. For further information, please visit AJAR program with the Rohingya women survivors,
To read the event published by the Global Hub, please visit: https://transitionaljusticehub.org/pages/bangladesh-transitional-justice-course