UN expresses no concern about Bangladesh over human rights

The United Nations has not expressed any concern about Bangladesh in terms of human rights or other issues, according to the latest report of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, who recently visited Bangladesh.

Michelle in her report disclosed the names of countries and regions that have problems and concerns about human rights. Bangladesh is not among the countries she mentioned. The UN report mentioned the countries that have cases of special human rights violations such as disappearances or murders.

In the report, Michelle put a top priority on the Rohingya issue. Giving special importance to human rights related to economic, social and cultural rights of the country, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s landmark achievements in these fields have been specially recognized.

Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar have been elaborately discussed here in the report. While visiting Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, Michelle spoke with a Rohingya teacher and came to know how his dream was smashed.

More than 700,000 Rohingya women, children and men were forced to flee Myanmar for Bangladesh – and Myanmar’s human rights catastrophe continues to worsen, with the military (the Tatmadaw) maintaining military operations in Kayah and Kayin in the southeast; Chin state in the northwest; and Sagaing and Magway regions in the Bamar heartland. The use of air power and artillery against villages and residential areas has intensified. Recent spikes in violence in Rakhine State also seemed to indicate that the last fairly stable area of the country may not avoid a resurgence of armed conflict. Rohingya communities have frequently been caught between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army fighters or have been targeted directly in operations. Over 14 million need humanitarian assistance.

In the report, the international community has been urged to intensify pressure on the military to stop its campaign of violence against the people of Myanmar, to insist on the prompt restoration of civilian rule, and accountability for violations committed by security forces.

Michelle is going to complete his mandate on August 31 after four years as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. On this occasion, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet revealed this report at a press conference in Geneva on August 25.

In her report, she said the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ever-increasing effects of climate change, and the reverberating shocks of the food, fuel and finance crisis resulting from the war against Ukraine have been the three major issues.

As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet travelled to many countries including Bangladesh and prepared a list of the countries she travelled to. The countries are Burkina Faso, Niger, Afghanistan, China, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peru and Bangladesh.