Dhaka — Four people were arrested in Bangladesh under the country's Anti-Terrorism Act this week. Their crime: walking to a memorial with flowers.

The arrests occurred as a small group attempted to march to Dhanmondi 32, the former residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh who led the country to independence in 1971 and served as its first president. He was assassinated there in 1975, and the site has since become a memorial.

Authorities invoked anti-terror legislation to detain the four individuals, citing concerns about unauthorized gatherings and potential threats to public order. No violence was reported. No weapons were found. The group carried flowers.

The use of anti-terror laws for what appears to be a peaceful act of commemoration has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates, who argue the government is weaponizing security legislation to suppress political expression and control public memory.

Bangladesh has a history of contested national memory. Sheikh Mujib, known as Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal), is revered by many as the father of the nation. But his legacy is also polarizing, with political factions divided over how his leadership and assassination should be remembered.

The current government, led by an interim administration following political upheaval, has taken a harder line on gatherings related to Mujib's legacy, particularly those organized outside official channels. Critics say this reflects authoritarian overreach. Supporters argue it maintains order during a fragile political transition.

A billion people aren't a statistic—they're a billion stories. For those arrested, carrying flowers to a national memorial became a criminal act. For the families of the 1975 assassination victims, it's another reminder that their grief remains a political tool.

The Anti-Terrorism Act, originally designed to combat violent extremism, has increasingly been used in Bangladesh to stifle dissent, arrest journalists, and punish political opponents. Human Rights Watch has documented dozens of cases where the law was applied to non-violent activists and critics of the government.