Dhaka [Bangladesh], March 16 : Nine rights groups have written to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, urging the new government to include human rights within its priority agenda.
Rahman and his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government face many urgent challenges but can use this opportunity to bring lasting protections for human rights, the groups stated in a letter published today.
Prime Minister Rahman came to office following a landslide election victory in February.
The election was conducted by an interim government that had replaced the 15-year rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was toppled by mass protests in 2024.
While widespread rights violations, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings under Hasina's rule, ended, the interim government continued to arbitrarily detain political opponents.
It was also unable to end mob violence against journalists, religious minorities, and cultural centres, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
"Tarique Rahman has been given a wide mandate to bring change, including by many Bangladeshis who risked their lives to overthrow an autocratic government," said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"Success will require meaningful reform to ensure that independent institutions are capable of delivering accountability and upholding the rule of law, and a real commitment to upholding rights such as freedom of religion and expression."
Among the priorities highlighted in the letter are ending arbitrary detention, holding those responsible for past violations accountable, abolishing the abusive Rapid Action Battalion, and protecting ethnic and religious minorities.
The groups also urged the government to protect the rights of over a million Rohingya refugees currently in Bangladesh and establish a strong and independent National Human Rights Commission.
They made specific recommendations in the letter for policy measures and legislative steps.
During the election campaign, the BNP made numerous commitments to safeguard rights, including economic rights, by increasing resources for health, education, environmental protections, and social security.
The nine rights groups that wrote the letter are Amnesty International, Article 19, CPJ, CIVICUS, FIDH, Fortify Rights, Human Rights Watch, Kennedy Human Rights Center, and Techglobal Institute.
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