Introduction
01.
This report is submitted by the National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh, to
the UN Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Bangladesh from May 2018December 2022in order to facilitate the 4th Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of
Bangladesh. The report is premised on the development that took place following the
adoption of Bangladesh’s 3rd Cycle UPR including the Covid-19 situation and the mandate
of the National Human Right Commission conferred by the National Human Rights
Commission Act 2009.
Methodology
02.
The Commission has 12 thematic committees functioning as rights advocacy forums,
the membership of which carries a cross-sectoral representation. The Commission also
regularly organises or facilitates round table talks, studies, research, public hearings,
investigations, inquiries, field visits, seminars, conferences, meetings, etc for
soliciting/disseminating/exchanging views, data or information. Moreover, the Commission
receives and addresses a large number of individual complaints from persons and institutions
every year. This report is primarily based on information/data obtained from the
aforementioned sources. Additionally, the Commission, in preparing this report, has
consulted data collected by the government, non-government organizations (NGOs),
international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), national and international human
rights organizations, civil society reports, newspaper reports, etc as supplementary means of
information.
Formation of the 6th National Human Rights Commission
03.
The 6th National Human Rights Commission (the Commission) was appointed on 10
December 2022 comprising seven members. Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed is appointed as the
Chairman and Mr. Md. Salim Reza is appointed as the Full Time Member of the
Commission. The remaining five honourary members are Mr. Md. Aminul Islam, Dr.
Bishwajit Chanda, Mr. Kongjori Chowdhury, Dr. Tania Haque, and Mr. Kawser Ahmed.
Since assuming office, the Commission has been playing a very active role in the promotion
and protection of human rights. Apart from its routine work, the Commission, in the
meanwhile, among others, visited 08 districts, including the 03 hill districts in the Chittagong
Hill Tracts (CHT), exchanged views with the respective district human rights committees,
held a public hearing in Rangamati district, visited 07 jails, 01 hospital, held meetings with
civil society, journalists, ambassadors, high government dignitaries, received and addressed
328 individual complaints, etc.
Human Rights Situation in Bangladesh at a Glance: 2018-2022
04.
Bangladesh’s success in the field of human rights, especially economic, social and
cultural rights was quite praiseworthy before the outbreak of Covid-19. Particularly,
Bangladesh achieved high standards in many parameters of the SGDs in comparison to its
neighbouring countries. With the onset of Covid-19, the overall scenario of the
implementation of human rights faced various challenges. Bangladesh’s achievement in
female education and women empowerment was a success story all over the world. But the
education sector became severely affected by the prolonged suspension of physical schooling
due to the coronavirus. The stagnation of the education sector created some incidental but
very severe consequences including child marriage and child labour. As the means of
Data/statistics presented in the tables of this report only reflect the experience of the National Human Rights
Commission, Bangladesh and in no way represent the national scenario.
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