Human Rights require cultural shift, not just laws: Asif Nazrul

Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul has said that human rights cannot be established solely through legislation, but must be developed as part of a broader social culture.

Speaking at the 11th Human Rights Conference 2025, held at the Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium of Dhaka University, Dr. Nazrul said that reforms must go beyond legal frameworks. “Merely organizing seminars or forming commissions will not bring change—intervention must occur at the structural level,” he noted.

He emphasized that values such as self-criticism, transparency, and institutional integrity are essential for meaningful human rights reform.

Organized by the Human Rights Support Society, the conference addressed ongoing human rights challenges in Bangladesh. Dr. Nazrul pointed to weaknesses in the executive, legislative, and judiciary as key sources of rights violations, calling for systemic reforms.

He also criticized Western nations for what he described as double standards—promoting human rights at home while contributing to violations abroad through war, arms trade, and repression in developing countries.

Commenting on recent political developments, he alleged that the Awami League government’s authoritarian practices had led to widespread repression, claiming that over a thousand students lost their lives during its rule.

Also speaking at the event, Dhaka University Law Faculty Dean Dr Muhammad Ekramul Haque stressed the need for an independent judiciary, saying, “If courts become tools of dictatorship, constitutional language becomes meaningless.” He underscored the role of law enforcement in upholding rights, urging them to act lawfully and impartially.

Referring to political changes following the fall of the authoritarian regime in 2024, Dr Ekramul Haque said the country now has an opportunity to introduce structural reforms and establish accountable governance.

Family members of missing lawyer Ahmed Bin Kashem, activist Michael Chakma, and July movement martyrs Shahriar Khan and Naima Sultana also spoke, sharing personal accounts of loss and state violence.

In closing, 10 winners of the Human Rights Olympiad were awarded certificates, mementos, and honorariums.