National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman yesterday urged the government to provide necessary human resources, fund, and other facilities to the commission to ensure its capability in protecting human dignity of people.
“Extend your hands…give us little help and little fund. We will fight our best for ensuring the human dignity of people,” NHRC chairman requested the law minister at the inaugural ceremony of a workshop on draft strategic plan of NHRC at Biam in the city.
Prof Mizanur demanded the law minister provide a separate secretariat to NHRC so the commission can contact the minister concerned and prime minister whenever it needs.
He expressed concern as the commission has not got necessary human resources from the government despite asking for several times.
The commission chief said they will launch a campaign from next month for raising consciousness among people about the human rights.
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said the government is very attentive and conscious to protect the human rights of minorities and people of other deprived communities.
The government has already adopted the national women development policy that clearly stated violence against women by any means or in any situation is unacceptable, he said.
But it is regretful that a quarter has been trying to create anarchy and already announced a hartal without understanding the women development policy, he added.
Shafique said the women development policy includes nothing that can hurt the religious sentiment, and the policy was prepared considering the constitution and human rights.
The law minister said people’s access to justice of is poor in the country. “Once a case goes to court, nobody knows when it will be disposed of…many people remain detained in jail without trial and thus the incidents of human rights violation occur too,” he said.
Shafique added that with the situation in mind the government is planning to bring changes in the criminal and civil laws.
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku said they are asking Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) to have more patience during exercising their role and are providing them with training on human rights.
He said the government never gave any direction to law enforcers, which can destroy human rights of people.
Law-enforcers may do mistake during carrying out their roles; but they have to account for their mistakes, said the state minister.
UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative Stefan Priesner and Establishment Secretary Iqbal Mahmud also spoke at the function attended by the representatives from different government and non-gover nment bodies.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
