The UN wants lifelong immunity for the officials who will be appointed to the proposed human rights office in Bangladesh. In addition, Bangladesh will have to take responsibility for all the activities of this office. Such a condition has been included in the draft proposed by the UN. However, the government has not yet agreed to this. As a result, uncertainty has arisen regarding the signing of the memorandum of understanding approved by the Advisory Council.

Dhaka says that none of the embassies, high commissions or international organizations in Bangladesh have been given such facilities. Even other UN agencies have not been given this facility. As a result, the government does not want to give this facility to the human rights office either. This information has been obtained from sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The United Nations wants to open a human rights office in Bangladesh. Dhaka has agreed in principle to open the office. The Advisory Council has approved the signing of a draft memorandum of understanding to take the matter forward. However, before approving the memorandum of understanding,

The organization claims that it has not contacted the UN. It has not been given a copy of the draft finalized by Dhaka. As a result, the UN will not sign the approved memorandum of understanding without reviewing it.

On June 3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an inter-ministerial meeting on the establishment of the UN Human Rights Office. The meeting was chaired by the then Acting Foreign Secretary and attended by the concerned parties. The officials present in the meeting raised objections to Articles 17(2), 19, 20(3), 23(3), 24 and 26 in the proposed draft. The meeting decided not to include Articles 24 and 26. It was also decided to amend the immunity and jurisdiction-related issues in the draft in accordance with the agreements already signed with other UN agencies.

So far, all foreign missions that have come to Bangladesh to work have come through 'Host Country Agreements'. Bangladesh has not signed any memorandum of understanding with any of them. As a result, the meeting suggested following the previous agreements in opening the UN Human Rights Office as well.

An official present at the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Samakal that the draft agreement sent by the UN added some more issues to the terms of the host country agreement.

If a memorandum of understanding is signed, there is no legal obligation. As a result, a host country agreement is required to ensure legal obligations. And Bangladesh has host country agreements with all UN agencies. Then why would a memorandum of understanding be signed with the Human Rights Office? - he asked.