Australian senator concerned over 'human rights violations' in Bangladesh

Senator Janet Rice of Australia has urged her government to do everything that it can to address the reported human rights violations in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world.

The Australia Greens senator from Victoria, a passionate environmentalist and rights activist, made the call while speaking on foreign affairs at the Australian Parliament on 8 February.

She said, "I also want to mention the situation in Bangladesh. Sadly we continue to see violations of human rights by the government. I thank members of the Bangladesh diaspora community in Australia, many of whom live in New South Wales, for their continued advocacy. 

"I had a recent meeting with members of that community and was inspired by their courage and persistence in the face of suffering and attempts to silence them. As Human Rights Watch summarises: Bangladesh security forces have been implicated in serious abuses, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances."

She said that the Bangladesh government arrested journalists and critics under the Digital Security Act (DSA) and otherwise stifled civil society. 

"[Bangladeshi] authorities fail to protect LGBT people, religious minorities and indigenous populations. Women and girls face widespread violence and sexual assault without reliable protection or legal recourse.

"We urge the Australian government to do everything it can to address these atrocities and to work to protect and promote human rights whenever possible," she added.