Rights activists yesterday urged the visiting UN human rights chief to impress upon the government the need for an independent commission to investigate extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

Members of different hill organisations yesterday called for allowing the visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to visit Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) region to collect evidence of rights violations.

Civil society needs "space, and enabling conditions" to play their crucial role in identifying and helping resolve human rights challenges, UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet said today (August 15, 2022).

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet raised the issues of enforced disappearances, media censorship and shrinking space for the civil society in Bangladesh during talks with three top ministers yesterday.

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will always uphold the human rights of people and remain sincere and cautious in order to prevent the human rights violations.

UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet today discussed various aspects of human rights in Bangladesh including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, shrinking of media freedom and civil society. She also opined that there is no press freedom in Bangladesh. 

Michelle Bachelet is to make the first visit by a UN rights chief to Bangladesh tomorrow, including to the sprawling refugee camps home to nearly a million Rohingyas.

Permanent tea worker Koliti Rabidas earns a daily wage of Tk 120. They are a family of five, and only two kilos of rice are available at Tk 100.

Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samiti President Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, known as Santu Larma, yesterday slammed the government for its directive discouraging the use of the word “indigenous”.

Attacks on religious minorities in the country are not isolated incidents, rather all of them are pre-planned, speakers said during an event on communal attacks and what society can do to combat those.

The High Court yesterday dismissed a petition filed by non-governmental organisation “Odhikar” challenging the legality of the government’s decision of not renewing its registration.

Even though mahr or dower is allowed in the Islamic family law, women face layers of obstacles to actually get it. At the same time, they get deprived of their paternal property, leaving them with nothing.

The High Court today (July 27, 2022) dismissed the writ petition filed by non-governmental organisation “Odhikar” challenging the legality of the government’s decision of not renewing its registration.

Planning Minister MA Mannan yesterday said the government is committed to taking the country towards justice, righteousness and rule of law.

Leaders of different journalist organisations today demanded to bring several changes in the much debated “Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill” including dropping the provision of setting up a mass media court to turn the proposed law journalist-friendly.

The European Parliamentary Committee on International Trade has categorically said Bangladesh needs to improve rights situation and amend labour law at the soonest in compliance with international standards to be eligible for GSP Plus.

In the wake of an attack on the Hindu community in the Sahapara area of Narail’s Lohagora upazila yesterday, 21 eminent citizens today (July 16) condemned the incident and expressed concern.

Boldipara villagers staged a demonstration protesting the proposed Ashrayan project at a century-old playground in Kayempur union under Sirajganj’s Shahjadpur upazila this (July 14, 2022) morning.

Eight environmental organisations today collectively sent a letter to 10 government agencies demanding them to refrain from acquiring 300 acres of agricultural land at Banishanta union under Dakop upazila in Khulna.

Lowering the legal age of what defines a minor will not solve a problem as complex as juvenile delinquency, said a coalition of NGOs that work with child rights.