British High Commissioner Robert Gibson on Monday said independent media, strong parliamentary opposition and institutional independence are essential for strong democracy. Gibson was talking to reporters after his meeting with the City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque at Nagar Bhaban.
Tag: Human rights
Asian Rights body’s grave concern at Siddique’s abduction
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights body, on Thursday expressed grave concern over the abduction of Abu Bakar Siddique. The human rights group urged the Bangladesh government to expedite efforts to ensure the…
18 trafficked kids back from Indian jail after 4 yrs
Indian authorities handed over 18 Bangladeshi children, who languished in jail for four years for entering the country illegally, to Bangladesh authorities at Benapole check post on Monday evening. Border Security Force (BSF) of India and its immigration police formally…
Alleged ‘top terror’ found bullet-hit in Joypurhat
An alleged top terror and his associate sustained bullet injuries in an attack by their rivals at the railway station in the district town on Saturday evening. The injured were identified as Polsan, a top terror of the town and…
Central African Republic: Massacres in remote villages
Johannesburg – Anti-balaka fighters killed at least 72 Muslim men and boys, some as young as nine, in two recent attacks in southwestern Central African Republic. The assaults, on February 1 and 5, 2014, were in the village of Guen,…
MP ‘beats up’ journo in C’nawabganj
A ruling party MP allegedly beat up a journalist in sadar upazila in the district on Thursday. Witnesses said Awami League MP (Sadar constituency) Abdul Odud physically assaulted the district correspondent of Daily Jugantor, Emran Faruq Masum, in front of…
‘Crossfire’ is a threat to good governance: Sultana Kamal
Jhenaidah – Ain O Shalish Kendra executive director, ex advisor to the caretaker government Advocate Sultana Kamal has said, “extrajudicial killings widely known as crossfire to the law enforcing ageniies are one of the most formidable barriers to the establishment…
Rights violations decried at hr protection committee launch
Senior advocate of the Supreme Court Barrister Rafiqul Haque has called for restricting the tenure of Prime Minister so that nobody can seek elevation to the position for more than two terms. He said that the practices of the last…
President asks police to work upholding human rights
President Abdul Hamid on Saturday asked the police to discharge their duties with neutrality and professionalism upholding human rights and democratic values. “You must discharge your duties with neutrality and professionalism by upholding human rights and democratic values in line…
CHT Commission for protecting hill people’s basic rights
Dhaka – Voicing deep concern over the continued ‘impunity’ to perpetrators of violence against indigenous women in the CHT region, the International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission has urged the government to take effective measures to put an end to the…
British lawyer Cadman moves ICC, the Hague, to investigate AL govt
British lawyer Toby Cadman has said his petition to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague for investigating the Awami League government may soon be accepted. British lawyer Toby Cadman has said his petition to the International Criminal Court…
‘Permission for Diganta, Islamic TVs resumption being considered’
The government is examining the matter of giving permission to two closed private TV channels—Diganta TV and Islamic TV to resume their operation. Minister for Information Hasanul Haq Inu told the Parliament while replying to a question from Jatiya Party…
Youth dies in police custody in city
Dhaka – A youth, who was detained following a clash between two groups of Bihari people in city’s Pallabi area ,died in police custody on Sunday.
Moudud, Mahbub again refused bail
Dhaka – A court here on Sunday rejected the bail petition of two BNP leaders Barrister Moudud Ahmed and BNP chairperson’s adviser Khandker Mahbub Hossain in separate cases. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sessions Judge Mohamamad Zahurul Haque passed the order after…
B Chowdhury demands quick steps against extrajudicial
Dhaka – Voicing deep concern over the recent spate of reported extrajudicial killings, President of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury on Thursday urged the government to take prompt action against it.
Dhaka urged to authorise independent inquiry of ‘crossfire’ deaths
New York –The Bangladeshi government should authorise an independent investigation into a recent spate of alleged extrajudicial killings by security forces, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should publicly order law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of all…
Disproportionate sanctions against pro-Islamist newspaper, says RWB
Reporters Without Borders Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation. Reporters Without Borders is concerned about all the sanctions taken against the pro-Islamist newspaper Dainik Inqilab. In the space of…
HC stays ICT case proceedings against Adilur, ELan
The High Court on Tuesday stayed for three months the proceedings of the case filed against local rights body Odhikar secretary advocate Adilur Rahman Khan and its director SM Nasir Uddin Elan under the Information, Communication and Technology Act.
Bangladesh: A tragic backward slide on human rights – HRW
A Year Marred by Violent Protests and Preventable Factory Catastrophes. “ This year has been tragic for Bangladesh, with political unrest leading to unnecessary deaths of protesters, security personnel, and bystanders. The government has failed to stem the cycle of…
Deeper media role urged for better migration handling in Arab States
Dead Sea – An inter-regional consultation of senior media executives hosted by the ILO and organised by Panos Europe took place in Jordan, under the patronage of the Ministry of Labour, with the aim of building partnerships with the media,…
Crackdown escalates ahead of polls: HRW
(London) –The Bangladesh government should end its crackdown on the political opposition leaders and activists, and create conditions for free and fair elections, Human Rights Watch said today. Opposition parties should condemn and end violence by their supporters, which have…
Bomb blasts: BNP concerned over Khaleda’s security
Blaming the ruling party men for the crude bomb blasts near the opposition leader’s Gulshan residence, opposition BNP on Thursday voiced grave concern over the security of its chairperson Khaleda Zia.
New York Times Pol Editor barred from seeing Khaleda
South Asia Bureau Chief and Political Editor of The New York Times Alan Berry was prevented by police to enter the residence of opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Friday evening. Sources said Allan Berry accompanied by BNP chairperson’s adviser Reaz…
President announces donation of his eyes
President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday announced donating two corneas of his eyes. “I’ve glaucoma disease in my eyes. I’m not sure whether donation of my corneas will be of any worth or not… if it will help, I’m declaring to…
Amnesty fears attacks on Hindus
Amnesty International has expressed apprehension that hanging of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla will trigger reprisal attacks with country’s minority Hindu community bearing the brunt of it.
EU determined to promote respect for human rights
Dhaka – The European Union (EU) on Tuesday said it remains determined to promote the respect for and protection of all human rights of all persons around the world
Judicial probe into attacks on religious minorities urged
Bangladesh Minority Watch (BMW) on Thursday demanded judicial probe into the recent attacks on the country’s religious minorities. The BMW placed a record of the recent communal attacks at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
BNP leader dies in custody at DMCH
Dhaka – A detained BNP leader died in custody at Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Tuesday.
Hijra now an official gender option
On Monday, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina chaired a cabinet meeting which decided to grant official government recognition of people who gender identify as Hijras, people who identify as neither male nor female.
Amnesty wants all death sentences overturned
Dhaka – The death sentence imposed against a Bangladeshi MP convicted of crimes against humanity is not the way to bring justice to the many victims of the country’s war of independence, Amnesty International said yesterday.