NHRC - Dhaka Mirror

Lawmen go unpunished

Admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:46:45 +0000

Extrajudicial Killings
Lawmen go unpunished
Says HR Commission in its report for UN HR Council
Extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances and torture by law enforcement agencies continue in the country with impunity, says a report on human rights conditions.
The report, prepared by the National Human Rights Commission, also says while child labour continues to be pervasive, indigenous people in the hills are losing their land.
All these issues require serious attention from all stakeholders, reads the draft report, presented by NHRC Chairman Mizanur Rahman at a two-day seminar at Sonargaon
Hotel in the capital yesterday.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni inaugurated the seminar, which was also addressed by United Nations Resident Coordinator Neal Walker and Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh
Svend Olling.
Addressing the session, Dipu Moni said there were deficiencies in addressing human rights issues in the country but the government was “trying its best to deal with
every aspect of human rights”.
Mizanur Rahman said the draft would be finalised after the seminar and handed over to the government before October 9. The report will also be submitted to the United
Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
In the report, the NHRC has recommended that the government focus on some key areas to improve the human rights situation.
The areas are institutional development, including strengthening the judiciary and ratification of international human rights treaties, socio-economic and cultural
rights, civil and political rights, women rights, child rights, persons with disability, indigenous people, refugees, religious and ethnic minorities and climate
change.
According to the report, the judiciary in the country is faced with a general lack of capacity. Resolution of cases is often very complex as the laws are outdated.
All these factors combine to make a system that does not deliver speedy, affordable and trusted outcomes.
The report suggests raising awareness and educating people on their rights to religious freedom and equality.
It also recommends developing a National Human Rights Action Plan.

Courtesy of The Daily Star

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NHRC chief terms it an ominous sign

Admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:00:09 +0000

“The torture on Quader is an ominous sign for law and order in the country…. The state is responsible for incidents of torture of civilians by law enforcers.”
National Rights Commission Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman made the comment before the High Court yesterday during the hearing on a suo moto rule over police torture on Abdul Quader.
Law enforcers are accusing people in arms cases by planting arms on them after arrest, he said.
“We should be ashamed of such inhuman acts. We are worried by the action of law enforcers at the cost of people’s rights,” he said.
At this, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam reacted at the top of his voice, saying the whole state is not liable for any incident committed by a few law enforcers.
According to him, Prof Mizanur Rahman made the statement out of emotion.
Alam, however, expressed his gratitude to the journalists for finding out the facts upon which the court passes orders against any injustice.
Prof Mamun Rashid Chowdhury, chairman of biochemistry and molecular biology department at DU, told the court that he has been Quader’s teacher from his honours first year. During the period, he found Quader to be modest.
Quader was never involved in any criminal activities, he added.
He alleged that police did not give Quader any food following the arrest. When Anis, one of Quader’s friends, bought some food for him, a police constable at Khilgaon Police Station asked him not to give him any food.
Prof Mamun added that the constable advised Anis not to visit Quader any further, saying that he might face problem if Helal Uddin, officer-in-charge of the station, comes to know that they are friends.

-With The Daily Star input

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Rights of indigenous people on forest resources underscored

Admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:48:52 +0000

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will ask the government to incorporate the rights of the indigenous people on the natural resources in the amended forest act.
“The act that got nod from the cabinet will not bring any welfare to these people,” said NHRC Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman while addressing a national conference on forest conservation at the BIAM auditorium in the capital.
He urged Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (BELA) and Chakma circle chief Debashish Roy to scrutinise the amended forest law.
The NHRC would recommend to the government to incorporate different human rights’ issues based on their analyses, Rahman added at the conference organised by Taungya, a local NGO in Rangamati.
The NHRC chairman also said the commission in its annual report to be submitted to the president by March 31 will recommend constitutional recognition of the indigenous people.
The conference was organised to discuss the success of a project titled consolidating community rights over natural resources for conservation of environment and sustainable development.
Rahman said through the project the rights of community people on village common forests were established but there are some communities who are living inside the reserve and protected forest whose rights should also be protected.
Speaking as special guest Sanjib Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said, “The indigenous people think that they belong to the forests but the state looks at the forest as a profit making tool without considering their presence.”
NHRC member Nirupa Dewan and Association for Land Reform and Development chairperson Khushi Kabir also spoke at the conference with Chakma circle chief Debashish Roy in the chair.

Via: The Daily Star

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