Govt signs MoU with UN to open human rights Office in Dhaka

The interim government of Bangladesh has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations to establish a country office of the UN Human Rights Council in Dhaka.

The UN confirmed the signing in a press release issued from its Geneva office on Friday (July 18). While the statement did not specify the exact date, it noted that the agreement was signed earlier this week. As of now, the Government of Bangladesh has not made any official announcement regarding the development.

According to the release, the MoU was signed by Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Asad Alam Siam, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh.

The signing of the agreement comes amid various discussions and criticisms. The UN office is expected to assist in the promotion and protection of human rights in Bangladesh, according to local media reports.

The statement noted that since August of last year, the engagement between the UN Human Rights Office and Bangladesh has increased significantly. The office has been working with various stakeholders on human rights reforms and is conducting an extensive fact-finding investigation into incidents related to the suppression of public protests.

Volker Türk stated that the signing of the MoU sends a significant message regarding Bangladesh’s commitment to human rights. “This will enable our office to better support the implementation of the recommendations provided in our fact-finding reports,” he said.

He further added that the office would now be able to engage more directly with the government, civil society, and other stakeholders on the ground, offering technical support and expertise for ongoing fundamental reforms in the country.

The UN noted that the new mission will provide training and technical assistance to various government agencies to help fulfil both national and international human rights obligations. It will also work to enhance the capacity of public institutions and civil society actors.

Previously, several organisations including Hefazat-e-Islam and Islami Andolan Bangladesh had expressed opposition to the establishment of a UN human rights office in Dhaka.