UN Human Rights Chief to visit Bangladesh

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet is due to visit Dhaka on Sunday (August 14) on a 4-day visit.

Dhaka is ready to welcome her on her visit from August 14 to August 17. However, Bangladesh strongly rejects some apparently politically motivated attempts to mislead the public as an occasion to put undue pressure on the government around Bachelet's visit.

These things were said in a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to Dhaka on Saturday (August 13).

The Bangladesh government strongly believes that politicization of human rights agenda never helps in promoting and protecting the human rights of the people, the statement said. Rather, sincere dialogue and cooperation is the main way. Bangladesh therefore strongly rejects any apparent politically motivated attempt to mislead the people as an occasion to put undue pressure on the government. As a responsible and responsive member state of the United Nations, Bangladesh looks forward to constructive discussions with the High Commissioner for the promotion and protection of human rights.

The statement also mentioned that the High Commissioner is aware of the human rights situation in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is working closely with the United Nations in the field of human rights. The visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will be an important occasion to highlight the government's sincere efforts to protect and promote the human rights of the people by updating the national vision and domestic legal framework, creating awareness and sensitizing the implementing agencies.

It also said that Dhaka strongly hopes that the head of the United Nations human rights system will witness with his own eyes how the development journey of Bangladesh is moving forward with human rights in place. Despite the ongoing epidemic, no one died of starvation in the country. Bangladesh, a country of 165 million, can afford to house about a million homeless people. More than 10 million families are receiving food and essential items under the Social Security Protection Program. Actually Bangladesh is promoting basic human rights for people like right to food, shelter and development. Also no one is being killed in shopping malls, schools or places of worship in Bangladesh.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the visit will be very important in taking due consideration of the national context, especially the obstacles such as economic development, maintenance of peace and security of the people, Rohingya crisis and adverse effects of climate change in the midst of epidemics and other escalating crises.

During the visit, he will interact with the National Human Rights Commission, youth representatives, CSO leaders and educationists besides meeting with the cabinet members of the government. The High Commissioner will pay tribute to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at number 32 of Dhanmondi. Besides, he will visit Cox's Bazar Rohingya camp. By doing this, the High Commissioner will have an opportunity to exchange ideas with the Rohingya refugees. And this will help the United Nations to have a stronger role in their agenda for the repatriation of the Rohingya.