Government, UN Rights Office Sign MoU to Establish Field Mission in Bangladesh
Government, UN Rights Office Sign MoU to Establish Field Mission in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, UN Rights Office Sign MoU to Establish Human Rights Mission
The Government of Bangladesh has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to establish a field mission in the country, aimed at promoting and protecting human rights.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Saturday, the mission will provide training and technical assistance to both government institutions and civil society organisations.
Its primary goal is to support Bangladesh in fulfilling its national and international human rights commitments by strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing institutional capacity, and offering targeted support for reforms.
The statement highlighted that this initiative reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to accountability and reform—particularly in light of serious human rights violations that occurred during the July–August 2024 period.
"We are aware that some segments of society have voiced concerns about the ideological stance of certain UN human rights bodies," the statement noted. "Bangladesh is a nation rooted in strong cultural and religious traditions. We have received citizen feedback emphasizing that international partnerships must respect these values."
Accordingly, the OHCHR mission will focus specifically on addressing and preventing severe human rights violations—such as those committed under the previous administration—while ensuring accountability for abuses. It will not be used as a platform to promote any social agenda that conflicts with Bangladesh’s legal, cultural, or religious framework.
The government expects the mission to operate transparently and in close coordination with local stakeholders. The United Nations has pledged to fully respect Bangladesh’s cultural and religious context in all aspects of its operations.
The statement also clarified that Bangladesh reserves the sovereign right to withdraw from the agreement if it determines that the partnership no longer serves the country's national interests.
It added that had such an OHCHR presence existed during previous regimes—when extrajudicial killings and public massacres occurred without consequence—many of those crimes might have been properly investigated and prosecuted.
“Our commitment to human rights must be anchored in justice, not ideology,” the statement concluded. “This partnership is viewed as an opportunity to strengthen our institutions and better safeguard the rights of our citizens—guided by our values, shaped by our laws, and accountable to our people.”
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