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Government Ends Practice of Inflating Pass Rates and GPA-5 Scores: Mahdi Amin

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  Government Ends Practice of Inflating Pass Rates and GPA-5 Scores: Mahdi Amin The government has moved away from the long-standing practice of artificially increasing examination pass rates and the number of GPA-5 achievers, Prime Minister's Adviser for Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin said today. He said the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examination results now reflect a more transparent, objective and merit-based assessment of students. Mahdi Amin also announced that students who failed in one or two subjects would be given an opportunity to retake the examinations within a month. A comprehensive answer-script re-evaluation system, similar to the one used in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, has also been introduced. He made the remarks at a press conference held at the Ministry of Education's conference room at the Secretariat. Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon formally announ...
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Bangladesh government

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Bangladesh government to immediately end the extended pretrial detention of political opponents and others associated with the ousted Awami League government. The organisation reports that hundreds remain imprisoned without any formal charges.

Following the forced resignation of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister in August 2024 amid mass protests, thousands of Awami League officials, activists, and supporters were detained. Many detainees, including elderly and seriously ill individuals, have been denied bail and adequate medical care, according to HRW.

While acknowledging allegations of serious rights abuses by some former officials, HRW highlights that many arrests lack clear evidence, often linked to accusations of protester murders. Since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman assumed office in February 2026, at least 10 detained Awami League members—most uncharged—have died in custody.

Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director, condemned the ongoing arbitrary detention without due process and called for an immediate end to these practices. HRW also criticized the government's proposed National Human Rights Commission bill, warning it could hinder investigations into arbitrary arrests.

Detainees include former lawmakers, activists, journalists, and officials who supported Hasina’s administration, with some security personnel accused of grave international crimes such as extrajudicial killings and torture. Prosecutors frequently oppose bail despite lack of evidence, and court decisions granting bail are sometimes undermined by fresh charges.

HRW detailed cases such as former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, detained since July 2025 on multiple charges including alleged murder and corruption, who was only released after appellate intervention without any formal charges filed during detention.

The organisation also expressed concerns over the International Crimes Tribunal’s prolonged detention practices, where over 160 people remain held without bail rights or appeal options.

Prominent detainees include Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Kamal Ahmed Majumder, both held over 22 months without charges and suffering serious health issues. Several others face similar conditions, including chronic illnesses and denied medical treatment.

HRW reported deaths in custody, such as former lawmaker Ramesh Chandra Sen and Awami League member SM Ziaul Haque Zia, both allegedly denied bail and proper medical care.

HRW emphasized international human rights standards allowing pretrial detention only as an exception, insisting each case must be judicially reviewed to ensure legality and necessity.

“A justice system that lets elderly people die in custody without charges fails to treat pretrial detention as the exceptional measure it must be,” Pearson said. She demanded independent inquiries into all custody deaths and an end to prolonged arbitrary detention without charges.

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