Sylhet, Feb 23 (UNB) – Although Myanmar has agreed to take back eight lakh Rohingyas, it is yet to create a congenial atmosphere for their repatriation, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said on Saturday. “Initiatives are underway to send back…
Category: Human rights
Vigilante ‘Cow Protection’ groups attack minorities
Authorities Should End Communal Rhetoric, Prosecute Assailants New York – The Indian government should prevent and prosecute mob violence by vigilante groups targeting minorities in the name of so-called cow protection, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.…
‘Nothing for us, without us’
By Justus Wanzala Makuleni, Kenya, Feb 18 2019 (IPS) – Julia Mutua is a resident of Kalawa ward in the semi-arid Makueni County in Eastern Kenya and a member of a women’s farmers group that runs a poultry project. “Women…
Newsletter from North-East: CAB row generate patriotism!
by Nava Thakuria As if the people of the northeast (NE) India became more conscious about India’s constitution, rule of law and its secular image abroad. So groups of people, including politicians, civil society group representatives, media personnel came to…
Child protection in Rohingya camps still a priority for JRP
Dhaka, Feb 16 (UNB) – As children face “serious protection risks”, including psychosocial distress, neglect, abuse, separation from caregivers, sexual violence, child marriage and labour, child protection system will remain a priority in Rohingya camps this year as well, officials…
Ensure Rohingyas’ basic rights, their repatriation: Dhaka
Dhaka, Feb 15 (UNB) – State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam has said the international community has a shared responsibility to help restore the Rohingyas’ fundamental rights and freedoms, including their right to return to Myanmar in safety…
Emojis with disabilities a step for inclusion
As a person with a disability, I have never seen myself represented in the vast range of emojis – those small digital images – found on smartphones. There are magician, mermaid and merman, zombie, and vampire emojis. There are thousands…
Committed to Constitution, not party, says Bd election boss
Dhaka, Feb 14 – Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda yesterday said as a state official, we are committed to the constitution, not to any political party and person. He urged the election officials to arrange the Upazila polls…
12 Years Behind a Stove—Undocumented Immigrant in NY City
NEW YORK, Feb 12 2019 (IPS) – One chilly afternoon in November 2005, Hilarino came by Pedro’s house in Oaxaca, Mexico, driving a shiny red car. “Pedro!” he shouted, “We are leaving in March. There is a route North to the…
Don’t reveal children’s identity in criminal cases, HC to media
Dhaka, Feb 12 (UNB) – The High Court on Tuesday directed all media including the Daily Star to remain alert while publishing name, address and photo of a child in any under-trial criminal case. A HC bench of Justice Sheikh…
Swedish Krona supported the struggle against apartheid
STOCKHOLM, Feb 11 2019 (IPS) – Between 1982 and 1988 Birgitta Karlström Dorph was on a secret mission in South Africa. “Why didn’t they stop us? Probably they were not aware of the scope of the operation. The money was transferred…
HR action must lead to real changes in Bangladesh: UN
Dhaka, Feb 10 (UNB) – UN Resident Coordinator Mia Seppo on Sunday said human rights action must lead to real, tangible changes in the lives of people in Bangladesh. “If we all work on it jointly in partnership, it can…
Info Minister seeks global efforts for ‘Internet Ombudsman’
Dhaka, Feb 9 – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said time has come to think globally and work together on how to deal with fake news and rumours on social media platforms through establishing an ‘Internet Ombudsman’ because…
Desertification: The right to life, liberty, and land
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 7 2019 (IPS) – Sustainable land management is becoming more important than ever as rates of emissions, deforestation, and water scarcity continue to increase. But what if you don’t have rights to the land?While the impact of agriculture…
Civil society for resuming South Asian Regional Cooperation
Colombo, 30 January 2019 We, members of civil society networks of South Asia gathered in Colombo to deliberate on a South Asian Regional Agenda for Collective Advocacy on Human Rights, Peace and Democracy, have resolved to re-energise collaborations across South…
Indian nationals warned of ‘fake embassy calls’
bahrain – February 06, 2019 Some recent incidents have come to the notice of the Embassy of India in the Kingdom wherein a fake person/agency is making hoax phone calls to Indian nationals on false grounds regarding passport and consular…
Angelina Jolie seeks sustained global support for Rohingyas
Dhaka, Feb 7 (UNB) – UNHCR special envoy and Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has said the world must not turn away from the nearly 1 million Rohingyas who have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh. Jolie, who left here early Thursday…
HC wants another man languishing in jail produced before it
Dhaka, Feb 7 (UNB) – The High Court on Thursday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to produce before it Badal Farazi who is now in a Bangladesh jail after his extradition in July last from India where he…
UNHCR, WB together to ease Rohingya burden on Bd: Jolie
Dhaka, Feb 6 (UNB) – Noting that it is one of the toughest tasks to feed and manage so many Rohingyas here, visiting UNHCR special envoy and famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on Wednesday said the UN Refugee Agency and…
Truly global efforts must to abolish female genital mutation
NEW DELHI, Feb 6 2019 (IPS) – According to official data on the global prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) released by UNICEF there are 200 million women and girls in the world who have been cut. Shocking though this statistic is, it…
Jaha Alam’s imprisonment regrettable: Information Minister
Dhaka, Feb 5 (UNB) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Monday termed regrettable the incident of long imprisonment of an innocent person, Jaha Alam, in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). “It’s unfortunate that Jaha Alam suffered…
Show genuine will to end displacement in Rakhine: Jolie
Cox’s Bazar, Feb 5 (UNB) – UNHCR special envoy and famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on Tuesday urged the Myanmar authorities to show the genuine commitment to end the cycle of violence, displacement, and improve the conditions for all communities…
No innocent person should be victim of torture: PM
Dhaka, Feb 4 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday asked the police to remain careful so that innocent people are not harassed and tortured during their duties. “You need to keep in mind that no innocent person should…
Innocent Jahalam freed from jail after HC suo moto order
Gazipur, Feb 4 (UNB) – Innocent Jaha Alam, who was in jail for the last three years instead of the real accused in 33 corruption cases, was released from jail early Monday following a High Court order. He walked out…
HC orders release of a wrong prisoner in jail for 3 years
The High Court on Monday directed the jail authorities to immediately release Jaha Alam who was in jail for the last three years instead of the real accused in 26 corruption cases. The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan…
Angelina Jolie plans to visit Rohingya camp
Dhaka, Feb 3 (UNB) – UNHCR special envoy and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has planned to visit Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar district this week to see the situation on the ground and meet Rohingya people. She is likely to…
The criminalization of peaceful expression in Myanmar
This is the time to talk about freedom of expression. We expected it to become better, but it’s becoming worse and worse. —Maung Saungkha, activist and poet, Yangon, April 2018 They are not using the law to protect the people…
185 people murdered in Bd in January: BHRC
Dhaka, Jan 31 (UNB) – Six people were murdered everyday on average in the first month of the new year, the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC) said on Thursday. A BHRC report documented 185 killings in January alone. ‘Social violence’…
Four summoned for taking wrong person to prison
Dhaka, Jan 28 (UNB) – The High Court on Monday summoned four individuals including a representative of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director to appear before it on February 3, to explain why a wrong person had been languishing in jail for…
Ecuador’s soft coup and political persecution
By Rafael Correa The destruction of the rule of law Can you imagine a “democracy” in which the president handpicks a council that proceeds to dismiss the Constitutional Court, the Judicial Council which oversees the judiciary, the National Electoral Council,…