In Dhaka, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has formally started a three-year mission. This week, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the government of Bangladesh reached an agreement on the subject.
This information was released in a press statement by the Geneva-based UN High Commission for Human Rights on Friday, July 18.

The UN Human Rights Office and the government of Bangladesh signed a three-year memorandum of agreement this week to launch a mission to support the protection and advancement of human rights, according to the press release. On behalf of the government of Bangladesh, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Falker Türk and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam signed the deal.

“This will enable my office to better support the implementation of the recommendations made in our fact-finding report. It will also help us engage directly with the government, civil society, and others on the ground through our expertise and support in the fundamental reforms that Bangladesh is taking forward.” When asked about this, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the agreement has not been formally signed, with Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam signing it on behalf of Bangladesh and sending it to Geneva. High Commissioner Falker Türk said that the signing of the memorandum is a significant message of commitment to human rights, which will serve as a cornerstone for the transition.

According to the official, the agreement has been in place for three years at this point, but there is a chance to extend it after that time. If requested, the contract can be extended at a later time.

According to the Human Rights Office, in order to satisfy Bangladesh’s national and international human rights obligations, the new mission will train and support authorities in a variety of disciplines. Additionally, it will endeavor to enhance the capabilities of civil society workers and government institutions.