UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for a strengthened and independent national institution to oversee the security forces in Bangladesh.
He made the remarks on Monday at the UN Office in Geneva while delivering his global update to the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.
‘We have been calling for a strengthened and independent national institution that has oversight of security forces in Bangladesh,’ Volker Türk said.
The UN rights chief has repeatedly stressed the need for stronger institutional mechanisms to ensure accountability and independent oversight of security agencies in Bangladesh.
The UN Human Rights Office’s fact-finding report on the July Revolution recommended independent investigations, institutional reform, civilian oversight and accountability mechanisms for serious human-rights violations.
UN human-rights recommendations concerning Bangladesh have also called for strengthening the National Human Rights Commission, so that it can operate independently and investigate allegations involving security forces.
UN treaty-body recommendations have specifically called for the NHRC to have the power to directly investigate alleged human-rights violations committed by the armed forces, police and other security forces.
The recommendations came amid concerns from rights groups and legal experts about Bangladesh’s recently enacted laws on enforced disappearances and the National Human Rights Commission, which they said did not fully meet international human-rights standards, particularly regarding independence, investigative powers and accountability.
