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Bangladesh’s interim government has said that the United Nations rights office in Bangladesh would focus on addressing and preventing serious human rights abuses, such as those perpetrated by the previous government, and ensuring accountability for violations.

‘The purpose of the mission is to provide training and technical assistance to government institutions and civil society organisations. Its objective is to help Bangladesh fulfil its national and international human rights obligations through capacity-building, legal support, and institutional strengthening,’ said a press statement shared by the chief adviser’s press wing on Saturday. 

Bangladesh government has already signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to field a mission in the country aimed at supporting the promotion and protection of human rights amid protests from various quarters.

‘We acknowledge that some groups in Bangladesh have expressed concerns about the perceived ideological orientation of UN human rights bodies,’ said the statement, adding, ‘Bangladesh is a society grounded in strong cultural and religious traditions. We have received feedback from citizens who have said that any international partnership should be respectful of these values.'

The government claimed that the initiative reflected their continuing commitment to reform and accountability, particularly in response to serious human rights violations that occurred during July–August 2024.

‘Therefore, the OHCHR mission will focus on addressing and preventing serious human rights abuses, such as those perpetrated by the previous government, and ensuring accountability for violations. It will not serve to promote any social agenda that falls outside the country’s established legal, social and cultural framework,’ said the government statement.

The government expected that the mission would always demonstrate transparency and maintain close cooperation with local stakeholders, it said, adding that the UN had committed to operating in full respect of Bangladesh’s cultural and religious reality.

The government retains the sovereign authority to withdraw from the agreement, should it determine that the partnership no longer aligns with national interests, according to the statement.

‘It is worth noting that if such an office had existed during the previous administration when extrajudicial killings and public massacres occurred with impunity, many of those crimes might have been properly investigated, documented, and prosecuted. Our commitment to human rights today must be rooted in justice, not ideology,’ it mentioned.