Academics and right activists on Monday underscored the need for completing the trial of previous cases of human rights violation and provide justice to all victims who waited for years.
“One of the key conditions to safeguard the human rights in Bangladesh is to conduct the trial of each incident of human rights violation and ensure justice to all the individuals and families whose rights were violated in the last 15 years,” said Dr Samina Luthfa, of Dhaka University.
The International Human Rights Day is set to be observed in the country like elsewhere in the world today in a befitting manner with the theme ‘Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.
She said justice must be ensured to the incidents of killing and torturing and in the cases of extreme violation of human rights during the July-August student-led mass uprising.
The perpetrators who helped the killers of students to flee the country after such a massive movement must be identified and brought to book, she said.
“In the last three months, some incidents of human rights violation such as filing false cases indiscriminately and implicating many innocent people in cases should be addressed,” she said.
Samina urged the government not to be influenced by the majority’s opinions while addressing the issues of minorities and marginalized people, rather to the views and opinions of everyone irrespective of their religion, cast and culture into consideration as far as human rights issues are concerned.
Human rights cannot be established until the rights of each religion, each culture and community and minority groups are protected. The government must have clear statement and initiatives in this regard, she added.
Talking to BSS, noted rights activist Nur Khan Liton mentioned how the scenario of human rights in the country has been changed through the July mass uprising.
“Before the uprising, we were shrouded by fear and thus the stories of torture remained suppressed for 16 years”, he said.
Nur Khan said, “About fifteen hundred people were disappeared in the last 16 years. Among them, some families are yet to find any trace of their beloved one. Some families received dead bodies while the rest remained silent till getting freedom on August 5”.
However, the people finally started sharing the stories plainly as the interim government formed the Enquiry Commission on enforced disappearances which have been a long standing demand from the rights activists, he added.
He said, “The country is witnessing another development…we don’t see the news of killings in the name of crossfire in newspapers, though few incidents are happening in the name of mob justice, mostly victimizing the supporters of ousted regime.
“As a right activist, I think the government should conduct inquiry into each extrajudicial killing which were carried out under the cover of crossfire and other ways during fascist regime targeting the oppositions and descents,” he added.
Nur Khan also mentioned that the overall practices of human rights in the country have significantly improved after August 5 except for a few isolated incidents and hoped that the situation will improve further the way the government is working.
He said, “Sometimes, we see that minorities or people living in the CHT area are being attacked. Government must take stern actions against such incidents”.
However, the authorities can claim ultimate development of human rights if the rule of law can be prevailed brining all criminals to book and restoring the people’s trusts and confidence on the government particularly on religions or minority issues.
Mayer Dak coordinator Sanjida Islam Tuli emphasized on giving equal importance to each case of human rights violation and said, “Government’s effort in addressing the case of human rights violation doesn’t suit to victims’ expectations.”
The victims of forced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killing by law enforcement agencies and people killed in Shapla Chhattar should get the same importance as it is being given to the martyrs and injured of July movement, she noted.
“Scenario from the perspective of the victim is quite different as they have been going through trauma and stress for years and days,” Tuli said.
Advocate of Alena Khan of Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation (BHRF) said, human rights situation in the country will get safeguard if the rule of law and people’s rights of expression is secured.
Along with securing people’s freedom of expression, which has been a long-standing demand for the rights activists in the country, the government should focus on protecting the sovereignty of the country, she added.
If the interim government which formed in exchange of huge sacrifice should not be failed in its stride to meet the aspiration of the common people, he said.
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
