French ambassador-at-large for human rights François Zimeray arrived in Dhaka today (Monday) on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh.
Zimeray arrived here at about 9 am and visited the collapsed Rana Plaza site in Savar and also talked to the victims’ families, said an official at the French Embassy in Dhaka.
He also visited Enam Medical College Hospital, Savar and talked to the injured workers and their families, apart from the rescuers. Zimeray also talked to the local journalists at Savar, the official said.
François Zimeray will hold meetings with ministers concerned, high officials, and all other stakeholders to assess the present labour rights situation as well as the safety condition in the RMG sector to see how France could support Bangladesh in improving the existing working conditions in the factories especially after the devastating Rana Plaza collapse.
In his capacity as ambassador-at-large for human rights, Zimeray will also take the opportunity to address human rights issues during meetings with high officials, human right activists, members of the civil society and other stakeholders in the aftermath of the recently concluded Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The French envoy will also address a conference on “Human Rights in the context of Globalisation” at Dhaka University Senate Building at 2:30pm on Tuesday. To conclude his visit, Ambassador Zimeray will hold a press conference at 4:30 pm on Tuesday at Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi.
Earlier, the country faced a number of questions from the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Germany, Mexico, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Norway and Montenegro at a UPR session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on April 29.
Most of the queries are related to extrajudicial killings, child labour, women’s rights, ombudsman for children, right to information act, implementation of the CHT accord, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), pollution in Hazaribagh tanneries, Rohingya refugees, violent acts against journalists and disappearances by law enforcement agencies.
