Bangladesh

Human rights defenders in Bangladesh are subjected to threats, physical attacks, arbitrary detention, torture while in detention, harassment and killings. The legal framework of Bangladesh often impedes the work of HRDs. This includes a number of sections under the Penal code which punish, including in some cases with life imprisonment, those who “bring or attempt to bring hatred or contempt, or excite or attempt to excite disaffection towards the government,” those who “make statements or reports that are likely to be prejudicial to the interest of the security of the country with foreign states,” and “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feeling of any class by insulting its religion or religious feelings.” In addition, the Government’s NGO Bureau which regulates NGOs and to whom all NGOs must seek approval before receiving foreign funds, has reportedly used bureaucratic procedures and tactics of harassment to obstruct the work of HRDs. There are also a number of laws restricting freedom of expression which impede the work of journalists in particular. This includes legislation which allows police and “any other person empowered in this behalf by the Government” to seize unauthorised media such as newspapers and the printers believed to have produced them. A wide number of HRDs and journalists have been arrested for publishing articles or publicly disseminating information on alleged human rights abuses.

The political context in Bangladesh continues to be extremely polarised and HRDs are invariably categorised along partisan lines. In many cases, HRDs speaking publicly about human rights abuses are dismissed by the Government as being linked to the opposition and their criticism are subsequently disregarded.

Those most vulnerable to attacks are human rights defenders who: criticize the authorities and members of the ruling parties for human rights abuses, reveal links between politicians, police and criminal armed gangs, criticize human rights abuses by Islamic parties, reveal corruption in the ruling administration and law enforcement personnel and who work for the rights of minorities, in particular religious minorities. NGOs and individuals working on the empowerment of women face threats. Journalists also face numerous threats and are subject to arbitrary detention and torture – in particular journalist investigating human rights abuses committed by the security forces. In 2005 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders carried out a fact finding mission to Bangladesh to investigate violations of freedom of expression and association.

The perpetrators of attacks against HRDs are reported to be members of the ruling party, members or supporters of Islamic groups and criminal armed gangs. In her 2006 report on the situation of human rights defenders, the UN SRSG expressed concern that in most of the cases where she sent communications to the Government regarding violations against HRDs, the perpetrators of these attacks were the authorities. She also expresses her concern at the failure of the Government to protect individuals at risk, investigate the violations committed or to bring the perpetrators to justice.