M Rayhan Kabir

M Rayhan Kabir is a Bangladeshi human rights advocate, migration specialist, and regular contributor to international and national media. Rayhan became widely known in 2020 after his appearance in Al Jazeera’s documentary 'Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown', where he spoke out about migrant abuses during the COVID-19 pandemic. His subsequent arrest and deportation drew global attention and solidarity from major human rights organizations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and CIVICUS. Rayhan has been recognized by the United Nations for his frontline efforts. He was mentioned in the UN General Assembly Report A/77/178, and in a 2022 communication by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Geneva. As a writer, Rayhan regularly publishes opinion pieces, investigations, and advocacy articles on platforms such as CSB News USA, The Business Standard, Global Press Journal, and New Age. His writings cover human trafficking, digital exploitation, geopolitical interference, and labor migration. He has also been interviewed or featured in major global media including Al Jazeera, BBC, The Guardian, and in nearly all prominent Bangladeshi news outlets such as The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. Rayhan continues to amplify the voices of marginalized migrants, challenge systemic injustice, and advocate for a rights-based approach to migration governance across South and Southeast Asia.