The Government of Bangladesh should refrain from using force on the teachers, who have been demonstrating for a week and should instead initiate dialogue with them to meet their grievance, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights organization representing 47 human rights organizations from 16 Asian countries including [ Read more ]

The concluding document of the National Consultation in Bangladesh on 3-4 December 2012, organized by the Regional Initiative for a South Asian Human Rights Mechanism Dhaka, 4 December 2012: ‘Regional Initiative for South Asian Human Rights Mechanism’ is a network of organizations and individuals which aims to create an environment conducive to the establishment of [ Read more ]

DHAKA, 1 December 2012: There needs be more transparency and lesser control by the Government of Bangladesh as it seeks to bring in a new law to regulate foreign donations in the country said Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 29 August 2012) The Government of Bangladesh should initiate dialogue with the protesting students, rather using force to meet their grievance, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights organization representing 49 Non Government Organizations across Asia. In Bangladesh, medical and dental college admission seekers are having peaceful [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 30 April 2012) The Government of Bangladesh must institute an impartial and credible investigation under the auspices of an independent authority on the cases of the ‘disappearance’, including that of Ilias Ali, a top leader of the opposition party and former Member of the Parliament, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development [ Read more ]

Asian NI Watch Issue Number 3

Open Letter to Government of Bangladesh 23 March 2011 Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister of Bangladesh Old Sangsad BhabanTejgaon, Dhaka-1215Bangladesh Re: Call for the end of harassment against Odhikar staff Your Excellency Madame Prime Minister, The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a membership based regional human rights organization, writes this letter [ Read more ]

A firmer commitment to facilitate the convergence of civil society networks in Asia working on common issues was affirmed at the 5th General Forum of the Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy (SAPA), at the BRAC Center, Khagan, Savar, Dhaka, on 18-20 February 2011. The general forum discussed impunity, food sovereignty and peace and security concerns [ Read more ]

After forcing to close the Bengali daily Amar Desh on 1 June 2010, the government of Bangladesh arrested its editor. Below is the report by FORUM-ASIA member Odhikar. On 12 June 2010, after being in remand for three days, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, acting Editor of the Daily Amar Desh, was brought before the court of [ Read more ]

Odhikar, FORUM-ASIA member in Bangladesh, called on the government to address the killing by Indian Border Security Force during the three-day meeting with them. The organisation issued the statement below on 12 July 2009, the first day of the meeting. It reports that 789 people, most of them farmers, were killed by the force. Odhikar, [ Read more ]