Universal Periodic Review: What the United Kingdom has recommended to Bangladesh

The United Kingdom has made three key recommendations in addressing human rights issues in Bangladesh during the Universal Periodic Review organised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The UK has recommended:

• Freedom of expression and assembly without restrictions
• The full independence of the judiciary
• The protection of the rights of women and girls, ensuring a life free from gender-based violence

Earlier, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed serious concerns about reports of excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances by officials in Bangladesh. 

Following the OHCHR's statement, the Committee against Torture and the Human Rights Committee have recommended specific measures. 

These include revising legislation to limit the use of force by state actors, ensuring prompt and thorough investigations into allegations of human rights violations, and holding perpetrators accountable. 

The UN human rights body also suggests Bangladesh to publish a list of recognized places of detention, prohibit enforced disappearance as a distinct crime, and ratify the International Convention for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance.

The Committee against Torture also suggested that Bangladesh carefully review the application of the Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant laws that might entail the imposition of the death penalty, in the light of its international obligations.