Active Human Rights Commission immediately

While incidents of human rights violations are occurring in a row, it is reported in the media that the National Human Rights Commission has been inactive for the last four months. As a result, victims of human rights violations are being deprived of services. According to the news published in the media yesterday, March 18 (Tuesday), after the fall of the Awami League government in the student-public uprising on August 5 last year, the commission formed during that government survived until November. Although the previous chairman and members resigned due to the change in the political landscape, the new commission has not been formed which is disappointing. This may seem like the interim government does not consider the importance of the Human Rights Commission.

Human rights are inherent to us. Without human rights, human dignity cannot be established. A person should be free from fear and deprivation in the family-society state. No individual group, even the state, can interfere with the rights of an individual; But human rights are being violated in various ways in the world. The United Nations Human Rights Commission was established in 1946 to establish human rights worldwide. Similarly, the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission came into existence in 2007 during the caretaker government and was re-established in 2009 through the National Human Rights Act.

Although it could not completely stop human rights violations, the investigations conducted by the commission have greatly reduced the incidence of human rights violations and in some cases, the commission has arranged for the settlement in case of human rights violations through mediation and conciliation. When necessary, it has taken legal action. It has made recommendations to the appropriate authorities or individuals to prevent or remedy human rights violations, but the commission has been inactive for the last four months and has not been able to do anything. However, in the meantime, incidents of violence against women, mass beatings and public humiliation in the name of 'mob justice' have increased in the country. Human rights activists say that human rights violations have become widespread in different parts of the country.

Human rights issues need to be raised strongly at this time. However, the National Human Rights Commission has been kept inactive.

Legal Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul said that an initiative has been taken to restructure the National Human Rights Commission. He told the media: "We want to change the act regarding the Human Rights Commission and make appointments of the commission members. Here again, there are some proposals from the Judicial Reform Commission. We want to scrutinize the proposals and make a good appointment. Hopefully, it will be done within a month."

If the Human Rights Commission becomes active within a month, then it will be good, otherwise, there will be no one to mediate in cases of human rights violations. We want the Human Rights Commission to be activated as soon as possible.