Govt signs MoU with OHCHR to field mission in Bangladesh

The Government of Bangladesh has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to field a mission in the country aimed at supporting the promotion and protection of human rights.

According to a government press statement by Chief Adviser's Press Wing issued on Saturday, the mission will offer training, legal guidance and technical support to both government institutions and civil society organizations. 

Its broader goal is to help Bangladesh meet its national and international human rights obligations through sustained capacity-building and institutional strengthening.

The agreement follows recent demands for justice and transparency in light of human rights abuses that occurred during July–August 2024. 

The government described the mission as part of its “continuing commitment to reform and accountability.”

Acknowledging public concerns over the ideological leanings of some UN bodies, the government emphasized that the OHCHR mission would operate strictly within the framework of Bangladesh’s legal, social and cultural norms. 

The statement affirmed that the mission’s focus will be on addressing and preventing serious abuses; including those allegedly perpetrated by the previous administration, and will not promote any foreign social agenda.

The government also made it clear that it retains full sovereignty and reserves the right to withdraw from the agreement if the mission is found to be inconsistent with national interests.

“Had such an office existed during the previous administration, when extrajudicial killings and public massacres occurred unchecked, many of those crimes might have been properly investigated and prosecuted,” the statement noted, adding that Bangladesh’s renewed human rights commitment must be “rooted in justice, not ideology.”

The government views this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen institutions, uphold the rule of law and ensure the protection of all citizens; while remaining faithful to the country’s values, laws and cultural identity.

SH