UN to open human rights mission in Bangladesh

The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office will establish a mission in Bangladesh following the signing of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bangladeshi government, aimed at strengthening human rights protection and promotion in the country.

The agreement was signed this week by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, according to a statement issued Friday from the UN office in Geneva.

“This memorandum sends a strong signal of Bangladesh’s commitment to placing human rights at the heart of its national transition,” said Türk. He noted that the new mission would allow the UN rights office to work more closely with government institutions, civil society, and other partners on the ground.

The mission will provide training and technical support to Bangladeshi authorities in key areas related to human rights, with the goal of helping the country meet both domestic and international obligations. It will also focus on capacity-building efforts across government agencies and non-governmental organizations.

The High Commissioner emphasized that the initiative would also assist in implementing recommendations from the UN’s previous fact-finding report and support broader reforms already underway in Bangladesh.

Engagement between the UN rights office and Bangladesh has intensified since August last year, particularly following investigations into violent crackdowns on mass protests. The office has since been working with various stakeholders to advance rights-based reforms and improve accountability mechanisms.

The upcoming mission marks a significant step in formalizing that cooperation and expanding the UN’s support for Bangladesh’s evolving human rights framework.