United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Thursday said the government has already decided to propose that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights undertakes an investigation into the case over the assassination of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi at the earliest opportunity. He made remarks when asked whether the Interim government would seek an international investigation into the assassination of Hadi. The interim government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring full justice in this case and will extend all possible cooperation to such an investigation, Alam said. Inqilab Moncho on Thursday staged a sit-in outside the Chief Adviser’s official residence, Jamuna, demanding an impartial investigation under United Nations supervision into the killing of its spokesperson Hadi. The protest began around 5pm with Inqilab Mancha Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, Fatima Tasnim Zuma, Hadi’s wife and a small number of activists participating in the programme. Addressing the gathering, Abdullah Al Jaber said they had deliberately limited the number of protesters considering possible security concerns. “We could have brought many more people if we wanted. We are waiting here with the wife of martyr Osman Hadi until we receive a clear assurance from the Chief Adviser. Without a full guarantee of justice, we will not withdraw from this sit-in,” he said. Stating their specific demand, Jaber said the programme would continue until the government formally announces a neutral investigation into Hadi’s killing under UN supervision. Zuma said Inqilab Moncho, along with Hadi’s wife, had taken position in front of Jamuna to press for the UN-monitored probe. She alleged that while the platform has cooperated with the government, administration and political parties, it has not received similar cooperation in return. Later in the evening, the Jamaat-backed 11-party alliance candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency Nasiruddin Patwary visited the site and expressed solidarity with Inqilab Moncho. Hadi was also expected to contest the election from the same constituency. Hadi was shot by assailants on December 12 at Box Culvert Road under Paltan Model Police Station in Dhaka, a day after the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary election and a referendum was announced. Inqilab Moncho stages sit-in outside Jamuna, demands UN-led probe into Hadi killing He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, later to Evercare Hospital, and eventually flown to Singapore. Hadi died on the night of December 18 while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital. Following the incident, Jaber filed a case of attempted murder with Paltan Police Station on December 14, which was later converted into a murder case.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has said the international community “must heed” the voice of specially affected countries like Bangladesh and act to deploy every possible resource to make the human right to a healthy environment a reality for all. “Now is the time for action. We have spoken a lot, and we must walk the talk,” she said hours before wrapping up her four-day visit to Bangladesh on Wednesday, urging the international community to listen to countries like Bangladesh and act with "unity, purpose and solidarity". Bachelet said they know what they need to do, the challenge is moving their political leaders at international level to the point where they realise that the costs of inaction are far higher than those of doing the right thing. She hoped that in the next steps and at the international level, including at the end of the year in the discussion of the post-2020 biodiversity framework, that the international community will take steps to walk the talk and not to just discuss in closed rooms about this. “So as I said, we know what we need to do. We need political will to move forward on this.” Also read: Election period in Bangladesh to be important time to maximise civic, political space: Bachelet While speaking at a programme titled “New Frontiers of Human Rights: Climate Justice in Perspective” organized by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at the BIISS auditorium the UN rights chief said, “So, we need to draw a new way of living, working and reaching our individual, collective potential in peace with each other and with our planet.” She said Bangladesh is very much at the frontline of this issue, both in terms of the effects of climate change on the country, but also due to its vital role as an actor for change. The World Bank estimates that Bangladesh may have almost 20 million internal climate migrants by 2050 – corresponding to roughly 12 % of the entire population of Bangladesh or the entire population of her own home country, Chile. Specifically, with a projected 50 cm rise in sea level, as mentioned before, Bangladesh may lose approximately 11% of its land by then, and that would mean up to 18 million people may have to migrate because of sea-level rise alone. “Climate change impacts access to food more broadly. Rising temperatures and heat stress are already affecting rice production in parts of Bangladesh,” Bachelet said. She said Bangladesh has made important progress in meeting the SDGs on poverty and education. “I commend Bangladesh on its ambitious vision for economic development and with a view to graduating from “Least Developed Country” status in 2026.” Bachelet said at the same time, stronger efforts are needed to meet SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 10 on reducing inequality. This includes working towards eliminating child marriage, tackling gender-based violence, ensuring the right of every child to education, and enacting both short- and long-term special measures to reduce income inequality, among other steps, she said. Also read: Civil society needs 'space, enabling conditions': Bachelet In addition, Bachelet said, Bangladesh’s sustainable development efforts should occur in line with SDG 16 by promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. This includes strengthening the national human rights commission, the elections commission, the judiciary, expanding civic space for public debate (both on and offline) and ensuring civil society participation in the design and implementation of economic and social development plans, she mentioned.