In the face of a new wave of violence that included genocidal killings by security forces in Myanmar’s Rakhine (formerly Arakan) State since 24 August 2017, some 671,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh from their villages and townships as of April 2018. They are now living in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, together with [ Read more ]

38thRegular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 3: Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions Oral Statement Delivered by Joëlle Klein on behalf of World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Tuesday, 19 June 2018 Mr. President, We welcome the report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions. We [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu – 8 June 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemns the extrajudicial killings of more than 130 suspected drug offenders, carried out in May 2018 in Bangladesh. These killings were carried out without conforming to basic international human rights norms and constitutional obligations of the Government of Bangladesh. FORUM-ASIA [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA member from Bangladesh, Odhikar, published its monthly human rights monitor report. The June 2018 report focuses on the following: Election, Political Violence and Criminalisation Hindrance to freedom of assembly Extrajudicial killings Public lynching and death in jail Political suppression and torture in remand Enforced disappearances Freedom of the media Repressive laws Allegations of widespread [ Read more ]

Anti-drug Drive Kills 119 in ‘Gunfights’ ASK Expresses Grave Concern [31 May, Dhaka] In line with government’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy, the joint force of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Police is carrying out an ‘anti-drug’ drive all over the country. In this drive, within 15 days, 119 people succumbed to death due to the so [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA member from Bangladesh, Odhikar, published its monthly human rights monitor report. The April 2018 report focuses on the following: Election, Political Violence and Criminalisation Hindrance to freedom of assembly Extrajudicial killings Public lynching and death in jail Political suppression and torture in remand Enforced disappearances Freedom of the media Repressive laws Allegations of widespread [ Read more ]

  To: H.E. Sheikh Hasina Wazed Prime Minister of Bangladesh c/o Md. Nojibur Rahman Principal Secretary to the HPM Prime Minister’s Office   24 April 2018   Dear Prime Minister,   Open Letter: Proposed Digital Security Bill will restrict free expression and promote self-censorship in Bangladesh FORUM-ASIA, the Asian Human Rights Commission and CIVICUS (World [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA member from Bangladesh, Odhikar, published its monthly human rights monitor report. The March 2018 report focuses on the following: Status of the imprisoned opposition leader Hindrance to freedom of assembly and allegation of arrest Criminalisation of the ruling party Extrajudicial killings Inhuman treatment and lack of accountability of law enforcement agencies Repressive Information and [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Dhaka, 31 March 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), together with its members in Bangladesh, conducted a fact-finding mission into the situation of Rohingya refugees at Lambasia, Kutupalong, Balukhali and Thyingkhali makeshift camps of Cox’s Bazar on 24-28 March 2018. These camps house around 550,000 of the 695,000 Rohingya refugees [ Read more ]

Joint statement Bangladesh: Civil society decries mass arrests amid worsening human rights situation 22 March 2018: The Solidarity Group for Bangladesh[1] today decries the mass arrests of opposition supporters that have taken place in Bangladesh over the past two months, and calls on the government to release all those who have been detained and to [ Read more ]