The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman, a member of the law commission, rights activists and academics on Saturday said the state should not treat human rights defenders as its enemy.
They also expressed concern over the use of several laws in abuses of human rights defenders. The speakers mentioned that several laws- including the Special Powers Act 1974, Penal Code 1860, the Information and Communication
Technology Act 2006 and the Official Secrets Act 1923- had been used against human rights defenders across the country.
The observations came at a national conference- titled “Role of Human Rights Defenders: Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in Bangladesh”- jointly organised by the NHRC and Relief International at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla in the capital.
Speaking at the event, NHRC Chairman Mizanur Rahman said the state needed to learn how to respect different views.
“Just because one holds an opinion different than that of the state does not necessarily mean he is an enemy of the state. We [Human Rights defenders and the state] need to learn how to work for betterment of the country despite the disagreements.”
Law Commission member Shah Alam said: “A secured environment for human rights defenders and ensuring their freedom to work are the main conditions for the protection and promotion of human rights in general.”
Ruling party lawmaker Fazle Rabbi Miah called upon to human rights defenders unite.
“It is you [human rights defenders] who need to be united. No government, neither the so called developed ones nor Bangladesh will think to protect human rights defenders. If you are united, the government has no other option except ensuring human rights,” he added.
The speakers also stressed the fact that human rights defenders must work in a neutral and impartial manner and that they should not be politically biased in any case.
Dhaka University law faculty teacher Rokeya Chowdhury, Country Director of Relief International Nazrul Islam, and full-time member of the NHRC Kazi Reazul Haque also spoke at the conference.
