Human rights

Humanitarian assistance has declined sharply amid global funding shortfalls, leaving millions more exposed.

Fortify Rights recommends that Bangladesh immediately close Bhasan Char, allow voluntary relocation to the mainland, grant all Rohingya freedom of movement and the right to work, and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention. It also calls on the UN to prioritise human rights monitoring over access, and on the international community to support accountability for crimes in Myanmar.

The court’s intervention offers temporary hope, but without prompt appointments, the institutional safeguards for religious minorities risk remaining on paper.

The poor of Delhi and beyond are not just breathing polluted air – they are breathing the consequences of delayed justice. Blue skies remain a distant dream while painful breaths define their daily reality.

As the countdown to February 12 continues, the question hanging over Bangladesh is whether the interim government can deliver the security and fairness it promised – or whether the country’s most vulnerable citizens will once again pay the price for political change.

Critics accuse the interim government of failing to protect minorities and civil rights, amid allegations of arbitrary arrests. The withdrawal of the CAT reservation is seen as a crucial reform, potentially aiding over 1,000 custody deaths and 677 disappearances reported during Hasina’s era.

This latest edict from Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public and rules from Kandahar, reinforces his absolute authority.

The UN Human Rights Office has urged the Sri Lankan government to take immediate and concrete steps to address past abuses.