Civil society

Polio predominantly affects children under five and causes lifelong paralysis. Despite global eradication efforts, challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and security threats have hindered progress in the region.

The commission’s chairman, retired Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, and his team have compiled over 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances, with 758 already scrutinized. The commission estimates the total number could exceed 3,500.

The adviser directed the authorities concerned to develop a comprehensive action plan to free rivers surrounding Dhaka including Buriganga, Turag, and Shitalakkhya the from encroachment and pollution.

The Report records a 25 per cent increase in the number of trafficking victims detected globally in 2022 compared to 2019 pre-pandemic figures. Between 2019 and 2022, the global number of victims detected for trafficking for forced labour surged by 47 per cent.

One must acknowledge and accept that India went overboard in its support for the government under Sheikh Hasina at the cost of ignoring all others.

Many vulnerable communities have also been left with limited access to essential services such as clean water, healthcare and sanitation.

UNICEF reports that eight in ten Afghans lack access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, over 64 per cent of the population is affected by drought, exacerbating food shortages and economic hardships.

Sri Lanka plans to revise the draft bill on stolen asset recovery, a move aimed at strengthening mechanisms to retrieve illicitly acquired funds hidden domestically and abroad.