Sigma Huda

Huda was the lawyer of Anup Chetia alias Golap Barua, a leader of ULFA who filed for Asylum in Bangladesh.[1]

Since 2004, Huda has served as a United Nations special rapporteur on human trafficking. She is also known for her views on prostitution. In her report for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, she says:

"The act of prostitution, by definition, joins together two forms of social power (sex and money) in one interaction. In both realms (sexuality and economics), men hold substantial and systematic power over women. In prostitution, these power disparities merge in an act which both assigns and re-affirms the dominant social status of men over the subordinated social status of women."[2]

"The demand for commercial sex is often further grounded in social power disparities of race, nationality, caste, and colour." [2]

In 2007, Huda was brought before a Bangladeshi court on bribery charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, whereupon she was sentenced to three years imprisonment as an accomplice to a bribe in the amount of Taka 2.40 crore (approximately US$400,000) for which her husband was convicted of abuse of power and corruption.[3]

The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of the judges and lawyers issued a statement on September 2, 2007, expressing concern that Huda was not given a fair trial. He said it received reports indicating that the right to legal representation and the independence of the court were severely affected during her trial. "Defense lawyers felt pressured, they had no opportunity to visit her in prison, and could only meet with her at the end of the hearings. They also had difficulties accessing the case files and other relevant information, thus compromising their ability to ensure an adequate defence."[4]

Huda is married to Barrister Nazmul Huda, a former Bangladesh Nationalist Party minister, former leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), National Alliance (NA), and present leader of Bangladesh Manabadhikar Party (BMP).[5][6]

• Appointment and Biographical Details
• Associated Press report
• Institute on Religion and Public Policy - Biography of Sigma Huda

• Kabir, Khushi (24 June 2008). "Sigma Huda's case". The Daily Star.
• "SC asks HC to rehear appeal that set Nazmul Huda, Sigma free". New Age. 2 December 2014.
• "SC overturns HC acquittal". The Daily Star. 2 December 2014.
• "Nazmul Huda acquitted of extortion case". The Daily Star. 10 September 2015.
• "HC scraps Nazmul Huda's sentence". The Daily Star. 12 September 2015.
• Sarkar, Ashutosh (29 September 2015). "19 cases wait for HC rehearing". The Daily Star.