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Voter Turnout Likely to Exceed 55pc

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  Voter Turnout Likely to Exceed 55pc, Says Touhid Hossain Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has expressed optimism that voter turnout in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, scheduled for 12 February, will exceed 55 percent. He made the remarks on Sunday while responding to journalists’ questions at the closing session of an election-focused training workshop in Dhaka. The two-day programme was organised for members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) with support from the Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI). Asked whether the government could hold the election smoothly amid reports that Awami League leaders based in India were campaigning for a ‘No’ vote in the referendum, Touhid Hossain said many were advocating ‘No’ without fully understanding the issue. He reiterated that the government wants the ‘Yes’ vote to succeed. He said the government has spent more than a year preparing reform proposals through various commissions and i...
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Hasina Verdict Marks a Critical Moment for Victims: OHCHR

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Hasina Verdict Marks a Critical Moment for Victims: OHCHR

The verdicts delivered on Monday by the International Crimes Tribunal against former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the former home minister—on charges of crimes against humanity—represent a significant moment for the victims of last year’s violent protest crackdown, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said.

In a statement issued Monday, OHCHR’s chief spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani noted that since the release of the UN fact-finding report in February 2025, the UN Human Rights Council has repeatedly called for all perpetrators—including those in command and leadership positions—to be held accountable in line with international standards.
“We have also called for victims to be granted effective remedies and reparations,” the statement added.

The OHCHR stressed that although it was not privy to the conduct of the trial, it has consistently urged that all accountability processes—especially those involving international crimes—must fully meet international due-process and fair-trial standards. “This is particularly critical in cases, such as this one, where the trials were conducted in absentia and resulted in a death sentence,” the statement said.

“We also regret the imposition of the death penalty, which we oppose in all circumstances,” it continued.

The statement noted that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk hopes Bangladesh will now move toward a comprehensive process of truth-telling, reparations, and justice as a path to national reconciliation and healing.

Shamdasani further emphasized that this process should include “meaningful and transformative security-sector reform, in line with international standards, to ensure that such violations and abuses are never repeated.” The OHCHR expressed its readiness to support the Government and the people of Bangladesh in these efforts.


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