Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
The United Nations (UN) has urged Bangladesh’s interim government to withdraw all criminal cases filed against journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders under the previous Awami League (AL) regime. In a report titled “Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh,” released on February 12 from Geneva, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called for the immediate cessation of unlawful surveillance on journalists and activists. It also recommended effective protection against revenge violence and prosecution of perpetrators.
The OHCHR proposed an independent inquiry into state surveillance, the shutdown of the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre, and amendments to the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulation Act to ensure compliance with international human rights law. It called for a moratorium on internet shutdowns and greater transparency in online restrictions.
The UN report also recommended reforms to the National Human Rights Commission Act to strengthen its independence and credibility, urging transparent appointments of commission members and broadening its mandate to include investigations against security forces. Additionally, the OHCHR demanded an immediate moratorium on arrests and prosecutions under controversial laws, including the Cyber Security Act 2023, Official Secrecy Act, Anti-Terrorism Act, and criminal defamation provisions of the Penal Code, which have been used to suppress dissent.