Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Saturday said freedom of expression belongs to everyone except the government, underscoring the need for tolerance, accountability, and long-term reform as Bangladesh heads toward the next national election. He made the remarks at a policy dialogue titled “Political Parties, Human Rights, and Freedom of Expression,” organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka. The dialogue brought together political leaders, civil society representatives, academics, lawyers, journalists, and human rights activists to review the state of human rights and freedom of expression in political discourse ahead of the polls. CGS President Zillur Rahman warned that human rights and freedom of expression tend to shrink as elections approach. Questioning whether the rule of law truly exists in Bangladesh, he cited prolonged court proceedings and what he described as fragile media freedom.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 10, 2026 12:44 UTC