Govt gives nod to UN human rights mission office in Dhaka

The initial in-principal approval is for three years and the two sides may extend the mandate in the second year if agreed

The interim government has granted policy-level approval to open a United Nations Human Rights Office in Dhaka initially for three years, a move linked to ongoing international engagement following allegations of crimes against humanity during the July Uprising.

After a meeting of the Advisory Council on Sunday, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul said the decision follows sustained discussions between the UN body and the government.

“Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, submitted a report on crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising,” Nazrul said.

“Discussions had been ongoing over the possibility of setting up a human rights office in Bangladesh. Today marks a significant advancement.”

The government expects the UN’s human rights presence in Dhaka to enhance international oversight and domestic accountability amid ongoing concerns over rights violations tied to last year’s political unrest.

Nazrul added that the draft MoU would now be further examined by a group of advisors.

“Once the final draft is prepared, it will be sent to Volker Türk. We expect the MoU to be signed very soon. Based on that, the UN will establish a human rights mission office in Bangladesh.”

The approval for a draft MoU to set up an office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) came at the council meeting on Sunday.

The office will initially operate for three years, but its mandate may be extended if both sides agree.

“The office is being established for three years,” Nazrul said. “If, in the second year, both parties feel that it should be renewed, that can be arranged.”

He noted that in the event of future human rights violations in Bangladesh, the OHCHR would be able to play an active role alongside domestic institutions.