Says Irene Khan
Former secretary general of Amnesty International Irene Khan yesterday said laws will not be enough to prevent stalking and repression on women unless we change our behaviour.
”We have some responsibilities alongside the fundamental human rights that our constitution and the UN charter has given us,” she said. ”We should discharge those duties to establish human rights of all.”
Irene was speaking at an award giving ceremony to mark the international human rights day yesterday at Mall Chattar in Dhaka University.
She said Bangladesh has progressed a lot since its independence. It has achieved an economic growth more than six percent but a large number of people are still marginalised, she added.
Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) gave human rights award to thirteen persons across the country for their contribution to establishing human rights. The ceremony was followed by a musical programme performed by eminent singers of the country.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, the chief guest, said the persons who received the awards worked for the deprived people; we feel honoured by awarding them.
Nirmal Chandra Das of Dhaka was awarded for working on dalits’ rights; Md Nuruzzaman Mia of Natore for disabled people’s rights; and Ajoy A Mri of Tangail and Bichitra Tirki of Chapainawabganj for indigenous people’s land rights.
Ranglai Mro of Bandarban and Bishodmoni Toppo of Naogaon received the award for their work on indigenous people’s rights; Manoara Khatun of Jhenaidah and Kabita Rani Biswas of Naraiil for women rights; Bilkis Banu of Kurigram for child rights; Jagadish Barman of Gazipur for land rights of marginalised people; Hena Akhter of Dhaka for sex workers’ rights; Mohammad Abdus Salam Khandaker Khoka of Jamalpur for rights of marginalised people; and Sheikh Abdul Qaium of Khulna for slum dwellers’s rights.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique and DFID representative Daniel Davis spoke as specials guests.
MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam delivered the welcome speech at the programme presided over by Syed Manzur Elahi, chairman of the governing body of MJF.
Liberation War Museum Programme
Irene Khan also attended and addressed another programme hosted by Liberation War Museum in observance of the Victory Day on December 16.
She said human rights related issues should be included in the curriculum to aware people about human rights violation.
“Real estate companies of the country grab poor peoples’ land and force them to live under the open sky. This is a sheer violation of human rights.”
Meanwhile different organisations observed the human rights day with different programmes across the city.
Jatiyo Manabadhikar Council and Jatiya Ganotantrik League held discussions separately; Bangladesh Manabadhikar Samonnoy Parishad and Manabadhikar o Samaj Unnayan Shangstha successively formed human chains in front of the National Press Club; and Bangladesh Human Rights Commission held a rally in front of the National Press Club.
