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A mission office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is set to be set up in Bangladesh as a memorandum of understanding has been signed by both parties.
The OHCHR headquarters in Geneva announced the development in a statement issued Friday.
Initially, the mission will be set up for three years, foreign adviser Touhid Hossain said recently, adding that the tenure may be extended if both parties agreed.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam inked the MoU on behalf of Bangladesh while UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk signed on behalf of the United Nations.
The MoU regarding the establishment of the mission was approved by the interim government last week, aiming to "promote and protect human rights in Bangladesh".
According to the statement issued from Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council's engagement with Bangladesh has increased significantly since August of last year-a crossroads the country passed through with the regime change.
The Council has been working with relevant stakeholders to uphold human rights through reform initiatives and by conducting coordinated fact-finding on atrocities committed during public uprisings.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated that "the interim protection of human rights in Bangladesh serves as a fundamental basis, and the signing of this MoU sends an important message in that regard".
According to him the agreement would "significantly support the implementation of our fact-finding recommendations".
"It will also enable direct engagement and exchange of experience and support with the government, civil society, and other experts as Bangladesh continues to move forward," he notes.
The new mission will provide training and technical assistance to authorities in order to help Bangladesh meet its national and international human-rights commitments.
It is also meant to work to strengthen the capacity of government institutions and representatives of civil society.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com