{"id":4801,"date":"2009-02-04T04:26:38","date_gmt":"2009-02-04T04:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.askbd.org\/ask\/?p=4801"},"modified":"2015-06-16T04:27:51","modified_gmt":"2015-06-16T04:27:51","slug":"un-review-bangladesh-human-rights-record-upr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.askbd.org\/ask\/2009\/02\/04\/un-review-bangladesh-human-rights-record-upr\/","title":{"rendered":"UN Review of Bangladesh Human Rights Record at UPR"},"content":{"rendered":"

NGOS welcome pledge on war criminals trials, regret missed opportunity on CHT Accord and women\u2019s rights, and rejection of Refugee Convention<\/strong><\/p>\n

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On Tuesday 3 February, Bangladesh underwent its first Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human Rights Council. During the 3 hour interactive dialogue, the Foreign Minister, Dipu Moni, presented a statement and responded to questions and heard recommendations from states.<\/p>\n

A coalition of 17 human rights and development organisations (the UPR Forum) \u2013including ASK, Steps, Nagorik Uddyog and Naripokkho <\/a>\u2013 welcomed<\/strong> declarations by the Bangladesh Government to \u2018hold war crimes trials in consonance with international standards<\/strong>\u2019, to \u2018end the culture of impunity\u2019<\/strong> and to declare \u2018zero tolerance for torture and extra-judicial killings\u2019<\/strong> and bring to account those found responsible for such acts, and \u2018recognizing the high-handedness of certain agencies\u2019<\/strong>.\u00a0 They also welcomed the holistic approach<\/strong> to considering both civil and political and economic and social and cultural rights.<\/p>\n

Forum Members however regretted that<\/strong> \u2013 with the exception of these declarations \u2013 the Minister\u2019s statement amounted largely to a rhetorical statements of principles<\/strong>, and failed to provide any clear time bound or actionable commitments on specific measures to be adopted to transform such statements into reality<\/strong>. In particular, they noted with dismay<\/strong> the lack of any reference to the CHT Accord or to specific measures for ensuring women\u2019s rights or minority rights or indeed for advancing the rights to shelter, or for investigating allegations of human rights violations, in particular torture<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Forum Members condemned <\/strong>the Minister\u2019s denial of the state\u2019s obligations towards refugees<\/strong> and her reference to the Refugee Convention as being \u2018outdated\u2019 and to Bangladesh being \u2018forced\u2019 to accept refugees, indicating a lack of respect for international law, and one which is deeply unfortunate in terms of Bangladesh\u2019s own birth having been marked by one of the largest refugee outflows in history.<\/p>\n

Statement by Forum<\/strong>
\nWe believe that this elected Government as the representative of the people, and given its overwhelming mandate, had a real opportunity at the UPR to clearly articulate before the international community commitments it has already made nationally to the people of Bangladesh.\u00a0 It is unfortunate that this opportunity was missed.<\/p>\n

We had hoped that the Government\u2019s statement at the UN would clearly reflect not only its own manifesto commitments but also build upon its own earlier demands while in opposition over the past seven years for implementation of human rights. Expectations were high that the Government would at the very least reiterate these commitments in the very special context in which the first UPR of Bangladesh was taking place.<\/p>\n

The Minister\u2019s overly generic presentation at this juncture is disappointing for those who had been anticipating a clear commitment to implementing human rights. It indicates that although the Government claims to be a government of change, it is still not making any concrete and timebound plans for change in the area of human rights.
\nThis Government is expected to be reviewed on its commitments in four years time.\u00a0 But given the generic form of the statements made, it is unclear on what basis they will be reviewed or how progress will be measured.<\/p>\n

We therefore urge the Government of Bangladesh:<\/p>\n