Kamal Ahmed

The past 15 years have seen the most severe narrowing of civic space, heightened surveillance, intimidation, and reprisals that often led to self-censorship. Rather than accountability for these violations, officials responsible were often rewarded for their misconduct. As we move forward with several reform agendas that can be implemented within a short timeframe, it is essential to have a national conversation on what "governance anchored in human rights" should truly look like.

The media industry of Bangladesh will have to embark on a long struggle to regain the trust of the people.

Ensuring justice for these crimes will require bringing all responsible parties to account, from top political leaders to the enforcers on the ground.

These latest developments add to the concerns over the increasing tendency towards intolerance and the preference for violent means to suppress any dissent.

Has the government redefined corruption by excluding the concept of black money?

The BPSA's warning to the media is concerning given the overall media environment in the country

Many of Benazir Ahmed's public statements since assuming high office aligned more with the ruling party's political stance than with the neutral stance expected of a civil servant.

The timing of the US sanction on Gen Aziz Ahmed raises many questions.

The accused in this case, against whom the opposition chief whip sought the speaker’s intervention, is none other than the populist lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman.

The Eid festivities in April marked a grim milestone with a record number of road traffic accidents and casualties.

Bangladesh has once again denied any instances of enforced disappearance, despite facing harsh criticism from human rights activists and calls from leading Western democracies to investigate alleged cases.

““Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”- This is what article 19 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration promised 75 years ago.

Reports of violence against minorities during and after the boycott-ridden, controversial election have raised questions against Awami League’s claimed commitment to protecting the minorities.

The EC's attempts to portray the election as participatory and fair seem to have been more focused on appearance than on genuine efforts to achieve these goals.

The frequent vilification of Dr Yunus by senior Awami League members, including the PM, have led many to believe this was an orchestrated persecution.

It is clear why Awami League is so desperate to make January 7, 2024 look like a genuine competition, without any real competitors.

We have never seen politicians belonging to the ruling coterie seeking and securing guarantees in election bargain like they have this time

Speaking out against domestic human rights abuses cannot and should not wait until all other global injustices have been addressed.

We are witnessing an engineered intra-party contest as most of the independents belong to the ruling party.

Calls for independent, transparent investigations into cases of alleged enforced disappearances and ratification of the much-discussed convention on disappearances got louder at this UPR.