UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein yesterday expressed concern over the dramatic rise in murder incidents in Bangladesh.
“I am very concerned about the dramatically increased number of brutal murders in Bangladesh that target freethinkers, liberals, religious minorities and LGBT activists,” he said.
In a wide-ranging opening speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Hussein sheds a light on ‘preventable calamities’ and worrying trends in human rights around the world, including detailed concerns about the situation in more than 50 countries.
He urged the Bangladesh authorities to ensure full respect for human rights in investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of recent vicious crimes, UN officials in Dhaka yesterday said.
“I note recent reports of police arrests, and I urge that investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of these vicious crimes be made a priority, with full respect for human rights,” said the rights body chief.
He also urged all government officials and political and religious leaders to ‘unequivocally’ condemn these attacks on freedom, and to do more to protect affected groups.
Meanwhile, inspector general of police A K M Shahidul Hoque said National Human Rights Commission chairman Mizanur Rahman had deplored the ongoing police crackdown on militants without ‘understanding it’.
Amid allegations that police are harassing innocent people in the name of cracking down on militants, several media published NHRC chief’s comment that police are
misusing their power.
bangladesh
