[🇧🇩] Human Rights in Bangladesh

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Chief adviser reaffirms commitment to upholding human rights

Chief Adviser Professor Yunus on Tuesday reaffirmed his government's commitment to upholding the human rights of every citizen of the country irrespective of their colour, creed, race, sex and gender. The attacks on the minorities, notably Hindus, following the changeover in August last year were

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Chief adviser reaffirms commitment to upholding human rights
BSS
Published :
Mar 18, 2025 20:19
Updated :
Mar 18, 2025 20:26

Chief Adviser Professor Yunus on Tuesday reaffirmed his government's commitment to upholding the human rights of every citizen of the country irrespective of their colour, creed, race, sex and gender.

The attacks on the minorities, notably Hindus, following the changeover in August last year were politically, not religiously motivated, but the interim government has taken prompt actions against the culprits, he said.

The chief adviser came up with the statement when US Senator Gary Peters called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

Professor Yunus has urged the US senator to visit cities and towns across Bangladesh and invited other US political leaders, journalists, and activists to tour the country to know the actual information on religious harmony, said a spokesperson of the CA Office.

During the hour-long meeting, the two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest and ways to deepen relationships between the two friendly countries.

Senator Peters enquired about the reform initiatives of the Interim Government, the reports of key commissions and the interim government's plan to hold free and fair elections.

The chief adviser said the government would hold elections in December if the political parties agreed to fewer reforms. But the general elections would be held a few months later if the parties wanted a bigger package of reforms from the interim government.

"The election will be free and fair. It will be held in a festive mood. There will be big celebrations on the election day, like the ones we have seen in the past," the chief adviser said.

Professor Yunus said the political parties would sign a July Charter once they agreed to the reforms proposed by the major commissions. "The July Charter will set the future course of the country," he said.

Peters appreciated the reform agenda of the government, saying the US was looking forward to a smooth democratic transition in Bangladesh.

Senator Peters said many Bangladeshi-origin people reside in his constituency in Michigan, including the city of Detroit. Some of them have expressed concern over the attacks on the minorities in recent months, he added.

He said there have also been massive amounts of misinformation over the minority attacks. Some of this misinformation has permeated into the US, raising concerns among minority groups, he said.

"We need your help. Please tell your friends to travel to Bangladesh. This way we can combat these misinformation campaigns," he said.

The two leaders also discussed social businesses, a world without poverty and microcredit as a tool to fight poverty both in the US and the rest of the world.​

 

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https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/us-appreciates-bangladeshs-measures-to-ensure-safety-security-for-all

US appreciates Bangladesh’s measures to ensure safety, security for all
Published :
Mar 20, 2025 14:34
Updated :
Mar 20, 2025 14:34

The United States (US) has welcomed measures taken by Bangladesh’s interim government to ensure safety and security for all in Bangladesh, noting that they “condemn” any instances of violence or intolerance directed toward members of minority communities in any country.

“That’s what we’re watching. That’s what we expect. And that will be what continues,” said US State Department’s Spokesperson Tammy Bruce while responding to a question at a regular media briefing in Washington on March 19 when a questioner referred to US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard’s recent remarks, UNB reports.

Reacting to remarks made by Tulsi Gabbard, the interim government on Monday said groundlessly linking Bangladesh to the idea of an "Islamist caliphate” undermines the hard work of countless Bangladeshis and their friends and partners around the world who are committed to peace, stability and progress.

In a statement shared by the Chief Adviser’s press wing, the government said Bangladesh strongly condemns any efforts to link the country to any form of “Islamist caliphate”.

The government noted with deep concern and distress the remarks made by Tulsi Gabbard, in which she alleged “persecution and killing” of religious minorities in Bangladesh and that “the threat of Islamic terrorists” in the country is “rooted” in the “ideology and objective” to “rule and govern with an Islamist caliphate."

This statement, the interim government said, is both misleading and damaging to the image and reputation of Bangladesh, a nation whose traditional practice of Islam has been famously inclusive and peaceful and that has made remarkable strides in its fight against extremism and terrorism.

"Gabbard's comments are not based on any evidence or specific allegations. They paint an entire nation with a broad and unjustified brush," said the government in its statement.

Bangladesh, like many countries around the world, has faced challenges of extremism, but it has continuously worked in partnership with the international community, including the US, to address these issues through law enforcement, social reforms, and other counterterrorism efforts, the government said.​

 

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UN to open rights office in Dhaka soon: resident coordinator

United Nations resident coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis on Wednesday said that the UN would soon open its human rights office in Bangladesh as the process was already finalised...

www.newagebd.net

UN to open rights office in Dhaka soon: resident coordinator
Staff Correspondent 04 June, 2025, 16:56

United Nations resident coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis on Wednesday said that the UN would soon open its human rights office in Bangladesh as the process was already finalised.

‘We have finalised the process to formally open a small office of the human rights council in Bangladesh,’ said the UN resident coordinator at a dialogue with the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

Responding to a question about the much-talked-about UN proposal for allowing a humanitarian corridor to the conflict-ridden Rakhine state of Myanmar through Bangladesh, she said that it was a legal issue requiring an agreement among all parties involved. The Bangladesh government and Myanmar government along with other parties concerned here will have to agree on providing the humanitarian corridor to Rakhine first.

The UN could support only all parties concerned reached a legal agreement in this regard, Gwyn Lewis said and added that there was no such humanitarian corridor to Rakhine at present.

About the UN’s position on the next elections, she said they were extending technical support for free, fair and credible polls and also for transitional justice and reforms in various sectors.

She said that the people and political parties in the country would decide when the election would be held.Political party merchandise

Responding to a question relating to the ban on Awami League activities and inclusive elections, she said that the election could be inclusive if people from all segments of the society could cast their votes freely.

She said that people’s participation was the key determinant of inclusivity of an election.

She, however, said that the participation and inclusion of all political parties would help prevent a ‘potentially polarised situation’.

Regarding the Rohingya crisis since Bangladesh was hosting around 1.3 displaced people from Myanmar for around eight years, the UN official said that they were trying to find a political solution to the crisis for a safe, dignified and voluntary repatriation to their homeland.

DCAB president AKM Moinuddin and general secretary Md Arifuzzaman Mamun also spoke at the event titled ‘DCAB Talk’.

The interim government earlier agreed with the UN on the establishment of the UN human rights office in Dhaka for further investigations into human rights violations during the student-led mass uprising that forced the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.

The UN fact-finding mission in its report published on February 12 said that the Sheikh Hasina regime and security and intelligence services, alongside violent elements associated with the Awami League, systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations during the student-led protests.

During his visit in October 2024, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in a meeting with chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka expressed his willingness to strengthen their presence in Bangladesh.Political party merchandise

After a similar meeting with Volker Turk, social welfare adviser Sharmeen S Murshid said on October 29, 2024 that an office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner would be established in Dhaka soon.

She said that the interim government agreed on it.

Asked for comment about the mandate and implication of the UN rights office, former foreign secretary and the president of the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, M Humayun Kabir, said that such UN offices usually work to prevent the recurrence of rights abuses as happened here during the July uprising.

Established in 2006, the Human Rights Council is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.

UN Human Rights’ 18 country or stand-alone offices include 16 country offices in Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Liberia, Mauritania, Mexico, Niger, the State of Palestine, the Syrian Arab Republic (based in Beirut), Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen; one field-based structure in Seoul that covers the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

In establishing country offices and stand-alone offices, UN Human Rights negotiates with the host government a full mandate that includes human rights protection and promotion.

A mandate typically includes human rights monitoring and analysis, protection, interaction with and the provision of technical assistance to the host government, national authorities, civil society, victims and other relevant counterparts through targeted technical cooperation activities, capacity-building and public reporting, according to the UN rights office.​

 

[Saif]

UN human rights body to set up office in Bangladesh for three years

The interim government on Sunday approved a draft memorandum of understanding in principle regarding establishing an office of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country to strengthen cooperation in dealing with human rights issues...

www.newagebd.net

UN human rights body to set up office in Bangladesh for three years
Staff Correspondent 29 June, 2025, 18:29

Chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam and law affairs adviser Asif Nazrul talk to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Sunday. | UNB photo

The interim government on Sunday approved a draft memorandum of understanding in principle regarding establishing an office of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country to strengthen cooperation in dealing with human rights issues.

The council of advisors of the interim government at a meeting, chaired by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, approved the draft of the MoU in principle regarding setting up an office of the OHCHR, said law adviser Asif Nazrul at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.

Noting that the OHCHR submitted a very important report on the genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising, he said ‘Our government has been in discussion with them for long. There has been significant progress in the discussions.’

He said that the advisers would further examine the draft and the final text of the draft would be sent to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Once they (UN side) agreed, he said, they hoped to sign the MoU soon as possible and based on the signed MoU, an office would be established in Bangladesh, primarily for three years.

He said that if the two sides thought renewal was necessary, renewal of the MoU could be considered.

‘If in the future, and even if during our government’s tenure, serious human rights violations occur, we hope that the state’s human rights agencies as well as the local office of the OHCHR will be able to play an important role,’ he said.

A milestone was the interim government’s invitation to the OHCHR for an independent fact-finding mission following the July unrest, he mentioned.

The UN Fact-Finding Mission last year submitted a report on the human rights violations highlighting the events of July and August last year.

The report said that about 1,400 people were killed during the July uprising and in the aftermath.

The interim government earlier agreed with the UN on establishing the UN human rights office in Dhaka for further investigations into human rights violations during the student-led mass uprising that overthrew the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.

The UN fact-finding mission in its report published on February 12 this year said that the Hasina regime and security and intelligence services, alongside violent elements associated with Awami League, systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations during the student-led protests.

During his visit to Dhaka in October 2024, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, in a meeting with chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, expressed his willingness to strengthen their presence in Bangladesh.

Established in 2006, the Human Rights Council is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.

UN Human Rights’ 18 country or stand-alone offices include 16 country offices in Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Liberia, Mauritania, Mexico, Niger, the State of Palestine, the Syrian Arab Republic (based in Beirut), Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen; one field-based structure in Seoul that covers the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, according to the OHCHR.

In establishing country offices and stand-alone offices, UN Human Rights negotiates with the host government a full mandate that includes human rights protection and promotion.

A mandate typically includes human rights monitoring and analysis, protection, interaction with and the provision of technical assistance to the host government, national authorities, civil society, victims and other relevant counterparts through targeted technical cooperation activities, capacity-building and public reporting, according to the UN rights office.​

 

[Saif]

OHCHR office in Dhaka under draft discussion: Touhid

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is set to establish a mission branch in Bangladesh, which is currently under draft discussion, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said. “It is still at the draft stage,” he told reporters at the foreign

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OHCHR office in Dhaka under draft discussion: Touhid

BSS
Published :
Jul 03, 2025 21:38
Updated :
Jul 03, 2025 21:38

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is set to establish a mission branch in Bangladesh, which is currently under draft discussion, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said.

“It is still at the draft stage,” he told reporters at the foreign ministry here this afternoon when asked under what conditions the OHCHR office would be established in Dhaka.

Hossain added, “Once the draft exchange is complete and we reach a final agreed draft where not even a word needs to be changed, we will sign it. At that point, we will be able to share the details with you. Until then, it is better not to discuss it while it remains in draft form.”

The adviser informed that Bangladesh and OHCHR have exchanged the draft with revisions four times, and the draft is currently under review at the OHCHR end following the latest changes made by Dhaka.

Hossain noted that Bangladesh and OHCHR have, in principle, agreed to establish the office in Dhaka for three years, with a review scheduled after two years.

The plan to open an OHCHR mission branch in Bangladesh recently received policy-level approval at a meeting of the Advisory Council.

Meanwhile, responding to a question on the proposed name for the next UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Hossain said, “We will need to provide the agrément (official consent). We have not yet processed the agrément. Let the process proceed, and then we will respond.”

Currently, Gwen Lewis serves as the UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka.​