REPORT of GHRD: Protecting Minority Rights in South Asia

Mr Shahanur Islam, Founding Secretary General of JusticeMakers Bangladesh

Mr Shahanur Islam, a Bangladeshi human rights defender and founder of the newly established organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh, discussed the situation for ethnic and sexual minorities in Bangladesh – two minority groups particularly vulnerable to human rights violations and discrimination in the country.

Mr Islam began by explaining the human rights situation for the over 3 million ethnic minority people living in Bangladesh, particularly the lack of constitutional recognition of their indigenous status and rights to their land. Disputes over land make ethnic minorities targets of aggression, violence and eviction, resulting in their marginalization and discrimination, widespread violence, rapes, killings and sexual assault.

Mr Islam then went on to discuss the situation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Bangladesh, stating that they face discrimination in all areas of society and often become targets of sexual crimes, torture, harassment and violence, in both the public and private spheres. Mr Islam discussed societal discrimination of LGBT people, stating they are stigmatized and deprived of their rights ‐ exemplified by the criminalisation of homosexual acts in Bangladesh.

Finally, he talked about the situation for human rights activists defending ethnic and sexual minorities, referring to his personal situation and the threats he has received during the course of his work. Mr Islam finished by urging the EU to take initiative to ensure protection of human rights defenders through intergovernmental dialogue and direct support. He underlined a number of recommendations for the government of Bangladesh, which he asked those in the room to support and encourage by any means possible, beginning with the full implementation of the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord, restoring the indigenous population’s rights to their land, ratification of the UN declaration of the rights to indigenous people and ILO Convention – including sections 107 and 169 (referring to the rights of indigenous peoples), and finally, the decriminalisation of homosexual acts.

Human rights of LGBT persons are not recognised in Bangladesh. They are abused, discriminated, arrested,

tortured and killed simply because of who they are, or who they are perceived to be.

Shahanur Islam

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