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Odhikar

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Odhikar
অধিকার
FormationOctober 1994
TypeHuman rights NGO[1]
FocusHuman rights
Location
  • Bangladesh
MethodPromote human rights through awareness building, documentation, fact finding, monitoring and research
Secretary General
Adilur Rahman Khan
LeaderASM Nasiruddin Elan
Websiteodhikar.org

Odhikar (Bengali: অধিকার) is a Bangladesh-based human rights organization, that was founded in October 1994.[2] It is a member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).[3] It has been publishing an annual activity report since 2003.[4] Odhikar's work has been cited by Human Rights Watch in their 2011 World Report on Bangladesh.[5] The goal for establishing Odhikar was to develop human rights alertness and observing violations in Bangladesh.[6]

Important works

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Publication of border death count

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Odhikar published annual list of deaths along the Bangladesh–India border, raising anger from the pro-India government.

2013 Shapla Square protests

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On 10 June 2013, Odhikar published a fact finding report on the 2013 Operation at Motijheel Shapla Chattar claiming 61 deaths,[7] but refused to provide any names of the victims report, citing security concerns for the families of the victims.[8] Later on 19 August, 2024, they published the name of the deceased on their verified Facebook page.[9]

2018 revocation of observer status

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On November 11, 2018, the pro-government newspaper Janakantha published an article written by Bibhash Baroi, which Odhikar called slanderous.[10] International Federation for Human Rights condemned the article saying:

The Observatory condemns in the strongest terms the politically-motivated attacks and accusations against Odhikar, which manifestly aim at discrediting its reputation and hindering its peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.

In November 2018, the Election Commission in Bangladesh annulled Odhikar to be an observer on elections.[11]

2022 deregistration

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In 2014, Odhikar applied to renew its registration as a non-governmental organisation. After delaying processing the application for years, on 5 June 2022 the NGO Affairs Bureau of the Bangladeshi government officially denied the application, stating that Odhikar's publications had "seriously tarnished the image of [Bangladesh] to the world".[12][13]

2023 arrest of leadership

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In September 2023, Odhikar's secretary, Adilur Rahman Khan, and director, ASM Nasiruddin Elan, were arrested and sentenced to two years in prison, as well as a fine, by the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka. Human Rights Watch has called the charges "retaliation" for Odhikar's documentation of human rights violations in Bangladesh.[12] The arrest was done in relation to reporting higher number of fatalities in a 2013 police operation of 61, higher than government figure of 13.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Legal Status, retrieved 26 February 2016
  2. ^ "Odhikar - About". Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Odhikar". Fédération internationale pour les droits humains. Archived from the original on 2013-08-20. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Annual Activity Reports". Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  5. ^ "World Report 2012: Bangladesh". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Odhikar". Front Line Defenders.
  7. ^ "Assembly of Hefazate Islam Bangladesh and Human Rights Violations". Odhikar. June 10, 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Odhikar's Hefajat list under wraps". The Daily Star. August 18, 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Hefazat rally in Shapla Chattar: Odhikar publishes list of killed people". Dhaka Tribune. 19 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Bangladesh: Slanderous accusations against Odhikar". International Federation for Human Rights. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  11. ^ Gaebee, Kgalalelo. "Bangladesh: Authorities must end smear campaign against human rights group Odhikar". www.civicus.org. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  12. ^ a b "Bangladesh: Quash Conviction and Release Rights Defenders". Human Rights Watch. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  13. ^ "Bangladesh: Stop Punishing Human Rights Work". Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  14. ^ শাপলা চত্বরে নিহতের সংখ্যা: 'অধিকার' সম্পাদক আদিলুর রহমান খানের কারাদণ্ড. BBC News (in Bengali). 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
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