The European Union has asked Bangladesh's military-backed government for information on individual human rights cases, reports said.

Bangladesh has been under emergency rule since January when elections were cancelled following months of political turmoil over vote-rigging allegations.

The United States said last week it had concerns about human rights in the country.

"The chief adviser (head of the temporary government) has assured us that the situation has improved. But we have inquired (about) some cases that (drew) our attention," Dutch ambassador Bea ten Tusscher, who represents the EU presidency in Bangladesh, told the New Age daily.

Last week US deputy assistant secretary of state for south Asian affairs, John Gastright met the head of the government Fakhruddin Ahmed and army chief general Moeen U Ahmed.

"I was frank regarding our concerns regarding human rights and due process for those detained under the state of emergency, whether on corruption charges or accused of other violations of the emergency rules," he said.

Reliable information on rights abuses in Bangladesh has become increasingly difficult to obtain, with many journalists complaining of threatening phone calls and high levels of self-censorship by newspapers.

Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has criticised the military-backed government for violence against journalists and censorship during a curfew last month.

The military-backed government is waging a massive corruption crackdown. More than 150 high-profile figures including two former prime ministers have been detained. Others have already been tried and sentenced to up to 22 years in jail.

The government has pledged to clean up Bangladesh politics before holding fresh elections late next year.