Since its founding, Right to Freedom (www.rtof.org) has consistently advocated on behalf of the victims of human rights abuses in Bangladesh and the country’s courageous human rights defenders.   We were critical of abuses that took place under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League Government from 2009-24.    We also spoke out in support of efforts to promote accountability for these past abuses after the August 2024 change in government and welcomed efforts by Bangladesh’s interim government to enact meaningful reforms to ensure that these gross violations of human rights would not occur again.  Two of the most significant achievements of the interim government in this regard were the enactment of the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy Ordinance 2025 and the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025.    Both ordinances were the product of broad consultations with domestic and international stakeholders and were welcomed by global human rights bodies, including our organization.   

We are, therefore, concerned by reports that Bangladesh’s new government is considering allowing these ordinances to either lapse or only be ratified with significant amendments that will weaken their effectiveness and leave the country’s citizens more vulnerable to future abuses.   There are a number of voices in Bangladesh, including in both the Treasury and Opposition benches of Parliament who are speaking out against these changes.   Many of Bangladesh’s international partners and global human rights groups have also registered their concerns.   Once again, Right to Freedom would like to express our solidarity with those who continue to advocate for human rights in Bangladesh in order to ensure that the violations seen in the past are never allowed to occur again.