SS Reports
Dhaka, July 18, 2025
The United Nations Human Rights Office and the Government of Bangladesh have signed a landmark three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a UN Human Rights mission in Dhaka, aimed at supporting the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.
The MoU was formally signed this week by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam on behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
“This memorandum sends an important message of the country’s commitment to human rights as a cornerstone of the transition,” said High Commissioner Türk following the signing. “It will enable my Office to better support implementation of the recommendations made in our fact-finding report, as well as to engage directly on the ground with the Government, civil society, and others with our expertise and assistance on the fundamental reforms Bangladesh is undertaking going forward.”
The agreement marks a significant step in the deepening of cooperation between the UN Human Rights Office and Bangladesh. Since August of last year, the Office has notably expanded its engagement with the country, collaborating with various stakeholders to support human rights reforms and conducting a comprehensive fact-finding inquiry into the deadly repression of mass protests.
The newly established mission will provide training and technical assistance to Bangladeshi authorities across a range of human rights-related areas. It will also support national efforts to meet both domestic and international human rights obligations, and work to build capacity among government institutions and civil society actors.
This development is being seen as a critical opportunity to reinforce transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance in Bangladesh during a period of political and social transition.
Source: OHCHR
