The Human Rights Watch (HRW) expresses gratitude for the High Commissioner’s report on Bangladesh, highlighting alarming evidence of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and torture by security forces against protesters opposing authoritarianism. The extensive crackdown on student demonstrators in 2024 marks an escalation in the long-standing trend of excessive force and enforced disappearances targeting dissenters of the former Awami League government. Security forces, under orders from political leaders, operate in a climate largely characterised by impunity, demonstrating a critical need for reform.
As Bangladesh navigates a precarious juncture, the interim government’s efforts to instigate change are hindered by law enforcement failures and a resurgence in violent crime, often directed towards former Awami League supporters. Without meaningful structural reforms, the cyclical nature of abuses risks defining the nation’s trajectory. Citizens are demanding governance that respects human rights, and international support, including from this Council, is crucial for the interim government amid pressures from various groups.
The Yunus government is open to UN collaboration, urging the Human Rights Council to initiate measures for ongoing oversight and investigations by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), to ensure lasting reforms focused on human rights. Additionally, HRW condemns Thailand for forcibly returning at least 40 Uyghur men to China, where they face severe human rights violations. The Council must ensure Thailand adheres to its international obligations and facilitate UN experts in assessing the welfare of those deported to China.
HRW’s oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council addresses severe human rights abuses in Bangladesh, including extrajudicial executions and torture by security forces against protesters. Emphasising a culture of impunity, the call for international support for reforms under the interim government is crucial. Furthermore, HRW condemns Thailand for returning Uyghur men, urging adherence to international obligations regarding human rights.
The recent HRW statement at the UN Human Rights Council underscores urgent calls for reform in Bangladesh amid rampant abuses by security forces. The precarious situation highlights a pattern of violence and calls for international support to safeguard human rights. Thailand’s actions regarding the Uyghur men reflect broader concerns over human rights violations in the region, emphasising the need for ongoing monitoring and international accountability.
Original Source: www.hrw.org
