UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is scheduled to pay a three-day official visit to Bangladesh in the last week of October. "We are working on this," a senior official told UNB. The UN Human Rights chief is expected to meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and other stakeholders to have broad discussions on rights issues, including the establishment of an office in Dhaka, said the official. UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon staying put despite Israeli warnings to move Earlier, he received an official invitation from the Chief Adviser to conduct an impartial and independent fact-finding mission into human rights violations committed from July 1 to August 15. The office deployed a fact-finding team to Bangladesh, with a view to reporting on violations and abuses perpetrated during the protests, analysing root causes and making recommendations to advance justice and accountability and for longer-term reforms. Bangladesh is witnessing a number of visits from the United Nations for two reasons-new interim government in place and Bangladesh's 50 years of UN membership. Volker Türk made a phone call to Bangladesh interim government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in August. During his recent visit to New York, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus sought support from foreign friends for Bangladesh's new journey towards a happy and prosperous future, stressing that they do not want to miss the opportunity to build a new Bangladesh. On September 17, 1974, Bangladesh became a full member of the United Nations. As part of an ongoing engagement with the interim government, an advance team of the UN rights body visited Bangladesh from August 22-29 and met student leaders of the recent protests, as well as a wide range of advisers in the Interim Government, the Chief Justice, senior officers of the police and armed forces, lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders, representatives of political parties, and minority and indigenous communities.      

Visiting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Monday. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam received her at Dhanmondi-32. The UN rights chief placed a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu and signed visitors' book there.  She also took a tour to the whole museum and was briefed by the State Minister.  Bachelet, who was an elected president of Chile on two occasions (2006 – 2010 and 2014 – 2018), is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday morning.

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet did not raise any concern regarding the human rights situation but both sides discussed a number of issues. He said the issues included Digital Security Act (DSA), writer late Mustaq Ahmed who was arrested under the DSA and died later; training of personnel of the law enforcement agencies on HR aspects, freedom of press and freedom of speech; and the overall rights issues. The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina highly values human rights issues as she is also the victim of human rights violations, minister Huq told reporters after his meeting with Bachelet at State guesthouse Padma on Sunday afternoon. “I strongly upheld it (to UN rights chief),” said the minister, adding that Bangladesh always, specially the government of Sheikh Hasina, upholds human rights and works on how its violations can be stopped by enforcing laws. “Bangladesh will always remain active.” Asked whether the UN rights chief voiced any concerns, minister Huq said, “No, there were no concerns but discussions.” Read: UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet in city He said they had discussions on many issues and he reiterated those issues on the DSA in the meeting which he already shared with the media here in the past months. Huq said there are ongoing discussions with her office on the best practices of DSA and he received a report in this regard. He said they take a decision on further steps he goes through the report. The Law minister said the UN rights chief asked about Mustaq Ahmed but she did not raise further questions once the Minister read out Mustaq’s post mortem report. He said they laid emphasis on training for the personnel of the law enforcement agencies on HR issues.

Bangladesh has conveyed to visiting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet that there is no “enforced disappearance” and no restrictions on media freedom and civil society in the country. While talking to reporters after his meeting with Bachelet at state guesthouse Padma, Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said the UN rights chief did not raise the issue of extrajudicial killings or enforced disappearance but the Bangladesh side raised it on its own. “They (UN side) did not raise the issue of extrajudicial killings. They (UN) were informed that some people had been killed. We said we’ll definitely investigate if there is any such information,” he said, adding that he did not hear about any such incident in recent days but there were such cases in 2002-2003. Momen referred to an open letter to the UN rights chief by David Bergman, Editor of Netra News (English) and said they (Bergman and others) are very unhappy and going through kind of mental pains as Bangladesh is progressing. “Some people are giving them (Bergman and others) money. They are paid persons,” he said, mentioning that he heard they (Bergman and others) work in favour of those who pay them. Momen also recalled the role of Bergman during the trial of war criminals as he heard that Bergman used to work in exchange for money. Also read: UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet in city The foreign minister also told the UN rights chief that the perception of restrictions on media freedom is not true. “I see the media is very strong here.” Responding to a question, Momen said they (UN side) are very concerned about the Rohingya issue. Bachelet thanked Bangladesh for its generosity towards the Rohingyas, but at the same time they want an increased support to the Rohingyas, he said. Momen briefed Bachelet about the government's efforts to protect and promote human rights in the country. The Bangladesh side urged her to extend their support in Rakhine state for creating a conducive environment for the Rohingya repatriation. The top executive of the UN Human Rights body will also have the opportunity to interact with the forcibly displaced Rohingya people during her trip to Cox’s Bazar, through which she would be equipped with concrete information to press hard the agenda for their repatriation to the ancestral homeland - Rakhine State of Myanmar, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bachelet arrived here on Sunday morning on a four-day visit as Bangladesh continues “constructive dialogue” with her for the promotion and protection of human rights. Before her arrival in Dhaka, the government strongly rejected what it says the visible "politically motivated efforts" of some corners to mislead the people by showcasing the visit of the UN High Commissioner as an occasion to "put undue pressure" on the government. "The government of Bangladesh firmly believes that politicization of the human rights agenda never helps in promoting and protecting human rights of the people; and therefore, sincere dialogue and cooperation is the pathway," said the government early Saturday. Bachelet, who was an elected president of Chile on two occasions (2006 – 2010 and 2014 – 2018), is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday morning. Apart from her meetings with the Cabinet members of the government, she is scheduled to interact with the National Human Rights Commission, youth representatives, leaders of the civil society organizations (CSOs) and the academia during her stay in Dhaka. She would also pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on August 15. Bachelet will also join an interactive session on “New Frontiers of Human Rights: Climate Justice in Perspective” with young scholars at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies on Wednesday after her meeting with PM Hasina. Also read: Bangladesh wants “constructive dialogue” as UN rights chief arrives Sunday Bangladesh hoped to benefit from an objective appreciation of the High Commissioner regarding the achievements of the country, despite challenges. The visiting UN High Commissioner remains well aware of the plethora of achievements of Bangladesh in the human rights domain, including through the treaty-body reporting as well as through other mechanisms, Bangladesh says. Bangladesh hoped that the chief of UN human rights mechanism would witness by herself how the country is doing miracles to keep on track their development journey; integrating human rights into it. Despite the ongoing pandemic, no one in the country has died of starvation, said the government, adding that "No one is getting killed either in shopping malls, schools or worship places in Bangladesh.”