Human Rights Review: UNHRC adopts draft report on Bangladesh
The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has adopted the draft report on the human rights review of Bangladesh, with recommendations on taking steps to halt forced disappearance, extra judicial killing, and ensure freedom of expression in media, politics and religion.
During the 30th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group of the HRC in Geneva yesterday, the UN member states made 251 recommendations.
According to the HRC Secretariat and UPR, some 105 delegations took part on the third-cycle review of Bangladesh's human rights situation.
Of the recommendations, 167 were accepted, 60 were noted and the rest would be answered later. Bangladesh will give its final answer no later than the 39th Session of the HRC, slated for September.
Recommendations were made on the amendment of child marriage related law, implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, strengthening of National Human Rights Commission and allowing democratic space for political actors.
A good number of countries called for drawing up a plan of action to ensure full implementation of the peace accord.
Several countries, including Austria, Norway, France and the Netherlands, called upon the government to ensure that journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and civil society organisations were able to carry out their activities without fear of surveillance, intimidation, harassment, arrest, prosecution or retribution.
Japan recommended ensuring a free, fair and inclusive general election, with full participation of all parties, and stepping up efforts to strengthen democracy in Bangladesh.
Others suggested that the government should train police officials adequately and instruct them to probe reports of harassment, attacks and death threats against journalists, media workers, human rights defenders and activists.
The member states urged Bangladesh to investigate all cases of murder and violence against journalists and bloggers and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The USA called for amending the Bangladesh Labour Act and Export Processing Zones Labour Act, in consultation with workers and employers, to ensure that provisions on freedom of association conform to international labour standards. Italy stressed the need for adopting further measures to guarantee workers' rights, also in line with the “Sustainability Compact”.
Bangladesh agreed to examine the recommendations by 39th session of HRC. It also agreed to investigate all allegations of human rights violations by the police and security forces and take legal steps so that those responsible for enforced disappearances, custodial tortures and extrajudicial killings are held accountable.
Comments