Dhaka, March 16 -- Nine rights groups have written to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, urging the new government to include human rights within its priority agenda.

Rahman and his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government face many urgent challenges but can use this opportunity to bring lasting protections for human rights, the groups stated in a letter published today.

Prime Minister Rahman came to office following a landslide election victory in February.

The election was conducted by an interim government that had replaced the 15-year rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was toppled by mass protests in 2024.

While widespread rights violations, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings und...