UN Human Rights Mission Officially Launched in Dhaka

Dhaka, 18 July 2025:

The United Nations Human Rights Mission has officially begun its operations in Bangladesh. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed the launch through a statement issued from Geneva on Friday (18 July).

Earlier this week, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh and the United Nations to establish this three-year human rights mission. The agreement was signed on behalf of Bangladesh by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, and on behalf of the United Nations by High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

According to the statement, this MoU marks an important step in Bangladesh’s commitment to protecting human rights. High Commissioner Volker Türk stated, "This agreement will help implement the recommendations made in our investigative reports. It will also allow my office to work more closely with the government, civil society, and other stakeholders to contribute to the country’s essential reforms."

Since August last year, the engagement between Bangladesh and the UN Human Rights Office has significantly increased. The mission has been working with various stakeholders to protect human rights and to conduct comprehensive investigations into incidents of violence and suppression during public protests.

Under this new mission, the UN will provide training and technical assistance to various government bodies in Bangladesh to help fulfill both national and international human rights commitments. Additionally, the mission will carry out initiatives to enhance the capacity of government institutions and civil society actors.

The UN Human Rights Office emphasized that the protection and promotion of human rights is a key foundation for Bangladesh’s transformation. Through local-level engagement, the mission aims to support and strengthen human rights efforts in the country.