[Statement] Bangladesh: Arbitrary Deregistration of human rights organisation, Odhikar is a clear act of reprisal
14 June 2022 11:55 am
(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 14 June 2022) — The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemns the arbitrary deregistration of Odhikar by the NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) of Bangladesh. Odhikar, a prominent human rights organisation in Bangladesh and a member of FORUM-ASIA, had applied for renewal[1] of its registration to the NGOAB in 2014, as mandated [ Read more ]
[Joint Statement] Bangladesh: Stop Reprisals Against Victims, Activists
8 April 2022 11:37 am
Bangladesh authorities have responded to US Treasury Department sanctions on the notoriously abusive Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) by retaliating against victims’ relatives, human rights defenders and their families, and human rights organizations, twelve organizations said today. The US imposed the sanctions on the paramilitary unit and several of its current and former officials on December [ Read more ]
[Report] 2021: Fundamental Freedoms in South Asia
7 April 2022 2:18 pm
Civic space is under attack in South Asia. Across the region, increasingly authoritarian governments are relying on a wide range of repressive laws and other tactics to silence criticism, a trend that only intensified in 2021. While the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan is the starkest example of this, almost all other countries saw alarming restrictions [ Read more ]
HRC49 Oral Statement on Item 4: General Debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
31 March 2022 4:13 pm
49th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 4: General Debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 21 March 2022 Mr. President, We draw the Council’s attention to the deteriorating human rights situations in [ Read more ]
[Joint Statement] Bangladesh: The Government must amend the National Human Rights Commission Act 2009, with a view to broadening its mandate to protect and promote human rights
25 March 2022 2:43 pm
Bangladesh: The Government must amend the National Human Rights Commission Act 2009, with a view to broadening its mandate to protect and promote human rights (Bangkok/Kathmandu, 25 March 2022) – The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) urges the Government of Bangladesh to take immediate measures to amend the National Human Rights [ Read more ]
[Joint Open Letter] Bangladesh: Calls on the BTRC to withdraw and reconsider the “Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Regulation for Digital, Social Media and OTT Platforms”
8 March 2022 10:33 am
To: The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Subject: International coalition of organizations calls on the BTRC to withdraw and reconsider the “Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Regulation for Digital, Social Media and OTT Platforms” Respected Chairperson, Commissioners, and staff of the BTRC, The undersigned organizations urge you to protect peopleʼs rights and freedoms, and enable an [ Read more ]
[HRC49 Side Event] Defenders in Asia: Holding the line amid mounting challenges
2 March 2022 8:07 pm
Date: Tuesday, 8 March 2022 Time: 13:00 – 14:30 (CET, Geneva) / 19:00 – 20:30 (ICT, Bangkok) Register here: l.forum-asia.org/HRC48.HRD.Register Live via: Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube Human rights defenders (HRDs) play a key role in upholding and advancing human rights. In response to their bold and tireless work, HRDs become targets of harassment and attacks by [ Read more ]
[Joint Statement] Bangladesh: Serious human rights violations must end
8 February 2022 10:51 am
Joint written statement to the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council The undersigned organisations wish to draw the Human Rights Council’s attention to the escalating human rights violations perpetrated by the Bangladesh government. For decades, torture, ill-treatment, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, along with detention and harassment of human rights defenders (HRDs) and journalists [ Read more ]
[Joint Statement] Bangladesh: UN: Ban Abusive Bangladesh Unit from Peacekeeping – Role of Rapid Action Battalion Should Be Reviewed Following US Sanctions
20 January 2022 2:40 pm
(New York, January 20, 2022) – The United Nations Department of Peace Operations should ban Bangladesh’s notoriously abusive paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from UN deployment, 12 organizations said in a letter to Under Secretary General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, made public today. Human rights organizations have documented widespread RAB abuses. UN human rights experts have also [ Read more ]
[Joint Statement] Bangladesh: Stop Harassment of Human Rights Defenders, Drop Charges Against Odhikar Leadership
14 December 2021 11:49 am
(December 14, 2021) – Bangladesh authorities must end the harassment of Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan, respectively Secretary and Director of the human rights group Odhikar, who have been targeted through the misuse of the criminal justice system, eleven rights groups said today. On December 15, 2021, the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka will [ Read more ]