How July 2024 Marked the Fall of Democracy and Press Freedom
July 2024 will be remembered as a dark chapter in the history of Bangladesh. The group that called itself the “July Warriors” did not merely seize power—they pushed the country’s democratic progress into a grave. Since the unlawful takeover, the state has ceased to serve the people and instead turned into a tool of repression.
Ex-Minister Dies in Hospital While Handcuffed, Sparking Rights Furor and Negligence Allegations
The viral image shows an ailing, elderly man struggling for breath as his hand remains cuffed to the bed. Human rights defenders, political observers, and ordinary citizens have condemned the act as a gross violation of human dignity and human rights.
EU Leaders Raise Alarm Over Abuses in Pakistan and Bangladesh
At a side event during the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Members of the European Parliament, senators, and human rights advocates expressed grave concern over escalating human rights violations in South Asia—particularly in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh: Rape Sparks Deadly Violence in CHT, Rights Groups Urge UN Intervention
A brutal wave of violence has engulfed parts of Khagrachhari district in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), leaving at least three Indigenous youths dead, several others injured, and dozens of homes and businesses destroyed. The unrest was triggered by protests following the reported gang rape of a Marma schoolgirl by three Bengali youths on 23 September in the Guimara area.
Absent From a U.N. Discussion on Refugee Aid: The Refugees Themselves
They reside in the world’s largest network of refugee camps, with little freedom to leave. Within these camps, their shops have been demolished and schools shut down. Back in their homeland, the only common ground among warring groups is their shared hostility toward these stateless people.
Can Afghan Women Ever Dance Among the Red Tulips?
Despite passage of ten centuries since the assassination of Rabia, writing poems has again been banned in Afghanistan since the Taliban gained control of the land in August 2021. Poems? Women cannot now even walk without being accompanied by a mahram or a male member of her family. Writing poems by women is considered as something to be ashamed of and it may result in public beating or even to death.
GHRD Warns UNHRC of Escalating Persecution of Minorities in Bangladesh
At the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Charlotte Zehrer, UN-EU Human Rights Officer from Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD), delivered a powerful oral intervention drawing attention to the alarming human rights situation facing ethnic and religious minorities in Bangladesh.
Public Outcry After Elderly Fakir’s Hair Shaved in Dhaka
A viral video showing a group of men forcibly shaving the hair of an elderly fakir in Dhaka’s Sadarghat area has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from human rights organisations.
Bangladesh Still ‘In Crisis’ for Freedom of Expression, Warns ARTICLE 19
Bangladesh remains in a state of crisis for freedom of expression, ARTICLE 19 has warned during the Item 4 General Debate at the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Legislation should reflect principles of equality and respect for human rights: Taslima Nasrin
Renowned author and human rights advocate Dr. Taslima Nasrin emphasized the urgent need for a clear separation between state and religion to ensure genuine equality for women.