Pathways for Comprehensive Reparation for Survivors of Torture in Bangladesh
by T Horrow, REDRESS Legal Fellow
Bangladesh continues to face serious institutional challenges, which impede the delivery of reparation to survivors of torture, contextual challenges which obstruct survivors in their search for accountability, and practical challenges to providing effective rehabilitation programs to these survivors and their families.
It is clear that the most important need when establishing pathways to justice for these victims is support that combines immediate medical and psychological assistance with long-term and institutionalised economic reintegration. The mere distribution of funds does not repair the harm faced by the victims and their families. Rather, comprehensive reparation for survivors of torture must inherently include an approach that ensures restoring the possibility of living a life with dignity, and that can only be achieved with survivor-centred solutions.
A recent side-event on pathways to reparation for victims of torture in Bangladesh, held at the 61st Session of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva on 2nd March 2026, focused on the briefing paper, “Exploring Avenues in Bangladesh for Reparation for Survivors of Torture”, jointly published by REDRESS and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) in February 2026. The panellists at the event, which was held under the auspices of the United Against Torture Consortium, underscored the briefing paper’s recommendations to improve and establish comprehensive pathways to justice in Bangladesh, in an attempt to address these challenges.
WATCH THE RECORDING OF THE EVENT
The introductory remarks from the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Bernard Duhaime, outlined the State’s obligation under International Law to provide reparations to victims of torture and highlighted the principle which requires victims to be restored to the position they would have been in had the torture not occurred. He also noted that effective reparations depend on strong, stable legal frameworks and expressed hope that the discussion would deepen understanding of the vital role of reparations amid the challenges facing victims of the uprising in Bangladesh.
Priya Ahsan Chowdhury, a barrister and advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, addressed the flaws within the existing framework for survivors of torture in Bangladesh. She explained that although there are mechanisms in place, implementation remains weak. In general, “while Bangladesh is a State party to the [UN] Torture Convention, challenges remain. The problem is not only legal, but also relates to enforcement deficits, institutional conflicts and a lack of survivor-centred protections.”
Alvi Hakim, Legal and Operations Advisor at BLAST, outlined the context for the torture suffered by survivors and the many challenges to accessing justice in Bangladesh. He explained that the July/August 2024 uprising resulted in widespread, systemic human rights violations, with thousands arbitrarily detained, tortured, or permanently injured while families were torn apart. However, he explained that “statistics alone do not tell the full story of what was faced by these victims.” Many of the families of the victims faced extreme economic insecurity, but they remain united by a desire to regain independence and dignity by returning to work. “In Bangladesh, the ability to provide for your family is deeply tied to social identity and self-worth. Losing that ability is not just economic harm. It is profound social humiliation layered directly onto an injury.”
Finally, Asger Kjaerum, the Director of Advocacy at the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), discussed the main challenges to developing rehabilitation programs for survivors in Bangladesh. He emphasised that the focus of rehabilitation programs is the availability of services, the accessibility of services, and the appropriateness of services for survivors. One significant challenge is discrimination faced by victims and survivors, which limits access to rehabilitation. The second major challenge is how services can be distributed and made accessible to communities. He explained that “in many places, people are not willing to speak about or engage with psychological support services because it is not considered culturally appropriate to speak about what was endured.”
The establishment of a new democratic government following the elections in February 2026 provides an ideal opportunity to reassess the avenues for reparation for survivors of torture, and to improve the existing framework to bring it more into line with international human rights standards.
Photo by: rayhan9d CC 4.0
