On 17 June 2026, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), with the support of its local partner SoDESH, organised a district-level dialogue in Satkhira on the enactment of a Human Rights Defenders Protection Act. The dialogue brought together local human rights defenders, journalists and professionals from various sectors. Discussions focused on the nature of human rights violations occurring at the local level, the barriers to ensuring the protection of human rights, the challenges faced by local human rights defenders and the key provisions that could be incorporated into a Human Rights Defenders Protection Act.

The dialogue was organised under the EngageNow Project. The project is part of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) programme, implemented with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the European Union (EU).