MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Human rights situation in Bangladesh, notably the case of Odhikar
12.9.2023 - (2023/2833(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure
Marisa Matias
on behalf of The Left Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0378/2023
B9‑0378/2023
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Human rights situation in Bangladesh, notably the case of Odhikar
The European Parliament,
- having regards its article 144
A. whereas trade unionists, human rights defenders and civil society continue to face mass surveillance, physical attacks, judicial harassment, arbitrary arrest and various other forms of intimidation and harassment in Bangladesh;
B. whereas repression against trade unionists and labour rights activists in Bangladesh is a serious issue, whereas worker protests have been met with violence many times over the last years from both the police and factory management;
C. whereas Shahidul Islam organiser for BGIWF was killed in retaliation for supporting the issue of unpaid wages and eid bonus of Prince Jacquard Sweater Ltd factory workers following a meeting with the factory management on 25 June 2023;
D. whereas the right of association remain a huge issue; whereas the persecution against Odhikar and its officials started due to their documentation of human rights violations in 2014 with the “deregistration” of the NGO by the Bangladesh government; whereas the leaders of Odhikar, Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan are facing juridical harassment since 2017 and Dhaka court had just deferred the verdict against them to the 14 of September;
1. Is deeply concern about the conditions of human rights defenders and workers in Bangladesh; supports the UN calls on the Bangladeshi authorities to respect freedom of expression and create a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders and other civil society representatives;
2. strongly condemns the killing of Shahidul Islam and ask for an independant and transparent investigation and prosecution on this case;
3. urges Bangladeshi authorities to Criminalize the practices of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and to accept the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances' request to conduct an official visit to Bangladesh;
4. urges Bangladeshi authorities to enhance labour rights and comply with ILO core standards (specially C098 - Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention- and C087 - Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention);
5. urges the Bangladesh authorities to immediately and unconditionally release and drop all charges against all those accused under the DSA solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, such as Khadijatul Kubra, Mohammad Yunus, Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan and immediately rescind the decision to arbitrarily deregister NGO’s such as Odhikar;
6. Reiterates that the activities of European companies present in third countries must be entirely consistent with international human rights standards; calls, therefore, on the Member States to ensure that companies which come under their national law do not disregard human rights or the social, health and environmental standards which apply to them when moving to, or doing business in, a third country;
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution