Dhaka, Oct. 6 -- based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said mass arrests continue "the cycle of political repression" in Bangladesh, even though the BNP came to power promising to restore human rights and the rule of law.

"Instead, the new government has arbitrarily detained perceived opponents and rolled back human rights safeguards the interim government proposed," said Elaine Pearson, Human Rights Watch's Asia director, overseeing the work of the Asia division in more than 20 countries.

Pearson said the current ruling party, the Bangladesh National Party, faced severe repression under the Awami League government.

Since being elected in February, it has targeted its own perceived opponents with arbitrary detention and hundreds of Awami ...