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Project Name: Promoting the Freedom of Speech against the Strictest Legal and Illicit Restraints

Project Partner: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Project Duration: September, 2021- March, 2022.

Project Summary: Freedom of speech in an inalienable right of human being which includes right to express without any interference. Bangladesh since its independence has long been criticized for its vulnerable human rights practices. The introduction of Digital Security Act in 2018 has exacerbated the condition of human rights in Bangladesh. Journalists, social and human activists, educators, members of civil society, diplomats, and various international organizations strongly objected this law as injurious to freedom of speech. Additionally, evidently the records of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances increased in the last decade. 

In such circumstances, it is imperative to introduce activities prioritizing these human rights violating activities.The project activities included developing two academic research papers on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances led by Professor Ali Riaz who was also the principle investigator of the project, developing two district wise maps of the cases and organizing four digital discussion events. In longer terms, the findings of these activities are expected to contribute in raising awareness among the masses and force nation-states to abide by the internationally recognized human rights regulation.  

Project Outputs: 

Policy Papers: 

1.    Executions at Will? Extrajudicial Killing by State Actors in Bangladesh 

2.    নির্বিচারপ্রাণনাশ? বাংলাদেশেরাষ্ট্রীয়বাহিনীকর্তৃকবিচারবহির্ভূতহত্যাকান্ড

3.    Where are They? Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh

4.    কোথায়আছেনতাঁরা? 

Webinars: 

1.    Webinar on Where are They? Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh    

2.    জোরপূর্বকনিখোঁজএবংরাষ্ট্রেরদায়    

3.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwUri6UzYuE

4.    বিচারবহির্ভূতহত্যাকাণ্ড :বেহালগণতন্ত্র, প্রশ্নবিদ্ধআইনেরশাসন