UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk visit to Bangladesh: Student protest and momentum for lasting change must be maintained- Volker Türk.
Holiday Post- Dhaka, 30 October 2024: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today said, Bangladeshi young women and men having taken to the streets at great personal risk to express that they had enough of being ignored and marginalized in past day and enough with the silencing of dissenting voices. Enough with the acute inequality, discrimination, corruption and abuse of power that had taken hold in the country. Human rights and social justice were the core of their demands. Despite the grief and sense of loss, in my discussions with civil society, students, officials and others over the past two days, there was palpable hope that this time, through this transition, things will be different.
He hopes, this time, there must be justice. This time, reforms must be sustainable and durable, so the abusive practices of the last decades are not repeated. There are real opportunities, and certainly high expectations, for fundamental change for the better – for a new approach to governance, development and economic policies grounded in human rights, drawing on the achievements of the recent movement and building strong foundations to overcome divisiveness, discrimination and impunity. Inequality, cycles of revenge and retribution, marginalization, corruption, and gross human rights violations must be consigned to the past. And my Office, the UN Human Rights Office, is here to do everything for Bangladesh to succeed in this regard.
He welcomes the move to repeal the Cyber Security Act, and hope withdraw old cases of speech offenses under this Act and the Digital Security Act.
He also welcome statements by Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus that reinforce Bangladesh’s commitment to human rights, social justice, and accountability, that acknowledge the need for comprehensive reforms in various institutions, including law enforcement, as well as the need to address economic inequalities. The rapid establishment of commissions to recommend reforms in the judiciary, election system, administration, police, the constitution and an Anti-Corruption Commission is commendable. Brutal violence against protesters and the death and serious injury of other people, including children, should give priority to them.
He encourages national dialogue to design such a process, which can find inspiration in some of the initiatives already taken by students to ensure healing. I welcome Bangladesh’s ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances, and the appointment of a commission of inquiry. I met with the commission, which needs full support national and international and sufficient time to clarify the fate of the victims and to support survivors.
To ensure that due process and fair trial standards are maintained everywhere, including at international criminal tribunals and bring conformity with international standards and ensure the right to fair trial and ensure justice without compromising due process.
He also expressed support and solidarity for Bangladesh in hosting Rohingya refugees. The situation in Rakhine State is only growing worse, and I was told there are new arrivals to Bangladesh. It is important to take a flexible and humanitarian approach, and to ensure non-refoulement and the protection of new arrivals. It is critical to ensure security in the camps, as well as access to livelihoods and education. I am doing everything I can to galvanise the international community to focus on this issue and to step up the search for solutions. says Volker Türk
The invitation for my Office to deploy a fact-finding mission on human rights violations in the context of protests which took place in July and August this year was an important initiative by the interim authorities. A stronger presence in Bangladesh will enable my Office to accompany and support the transition process in other areas,
including by offering advice on legal, institutional, economic and social reforms, transitional justice, reconciliation, and healing. It is a priority for my Office to support this dynamic, diverse country and its people through this period of transition, to do everything we can to help ensure the promotion and protection of human rights for all in Bangladesh.
