An annual report by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office noted that there was “no improvement in the human rights situation in Bangladesh” in 2016.
The report titled 'Human Rights and Democracy Report 2016' reads: “Pressure on freedom of expression persisted and extremist attacks and sectarian violence against religious and other minority communities continued,” noting the government's strict “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism following the attack on the Holey Artisan bakery.
The report also mentioned “allegations of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearances involving law enforcement agencies” in Bangladesh.
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The report went on to list poor treatment of women and girls, and the death penalty as impediments to human rights in the country. The report also flagged concerns by civil society groups about the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Act passed in 2016, suggesting that the law could “hamper the ability of Bangladeshi NGOs to deliver vital programmes and hold government to account.”
The report noted that the UK had worked closely with organisations providing shelter and support to human rights defenders to provide refuge for bloggers under threat from extremist attacks, and that the UK had also worked with judges in the country through the Magna Carta fund to bring Bangladesh's death penalty offences more in line with accepted international standards moving towards eventual abolition.
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The report cited the Global Slavery Index, which ranked Bangladesh the 21st worst out of 167 countries in terms of modern slavery, and noted that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had worked with UK businesses in Bangladesh in upholding the UK's Modern Slavery Act of 2015.
Applauding Bangladesh's improvements towards middle income status and gender equality, the report expressed hope in continuing to work with the Bangladeshi administration in order to “strengthen democratic accountability and capacity to hold participatory elections.”Here is the report for anyone's perusal-