The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has achieved a mere 1% success rate when it comes to dealing with issues involving law enforcement agencies, the commission officials said.
The success rate is exaggerated in the annual records, the officials claimed, adding that the reason for such a low figure is the law enforcement agencies boasting about their power.
According to NHRC Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman, the commission is helpless when laws are applied to safeguard illegitimate issues.
“In the majority of the cases, we have no other option but to directly write to the Home Ministry when RAB or other law enforcement agencies show reluctance to consider an issue,” he said.
Mizanur, however, objected to the 1% success rate, saying the law enforcement agencies have begun considering the impact of the commission’s functions recently.
“Those who are in power sometimes refuse to pay heed to our observations and avoid the allegations by claiming that they are acting in accordance with the law,” he added.
An inquiry officer of the commission said on condition of anonymity that their successes mostly encompass violation of human rights related to lands while there is barely any achievement regarding issues such as enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing or custodial death.
“As the commission now understands that there is no way but to back off because of the influential quarters, it has mostly stopped dealing with such key issues,” he said.
This is also evident in the words of the NHRC chairman when he says the commission’s activities have made RAB personnel more cautious in carrying out their duties, but the commission’s office has failed to present any concrete proof that supports his claim.
Chairman of the commission, however, observed that the police, unlike RAB, did not turn careful at all. He also said the way police behave now gives the impression that they are the members of another sophisticated force.
An assistant director at the commission, who did not want to be named, said it was not easy for such a commission to effectively function under the government in a country like Bangladesh. He said the commission was merely formed to build a positive image of the government in the international community.
“However, as the commission was formed by the government, the information we present in the annual report is viewed as reliable in the international arena,” he added.
Deputy Director of the NHRC Md Imam Uddin said the law governing the commission was problematic.
“We know the loopholes of the law. We cannot carry out an inquiry directly against the police. In such a situation, there is nothing to do about cases involving killing, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing. This is the situation the commission faces. Considering all these, the 1% success rate that we mentioned is more than expected,” he explained.
Imam criticised the commission’s organogram, saying none except the chairman prioritises such issues.
“The commission’s task is to make a bridge between the government and the victim. The extent of good governance achieved through this connection is used as the basis for a list of foreign donors.
“The NHRC, the government and the civil society prepare three separate reports, and those are then merged into a single report. The report is presented at the United Nations and the aid that is allocated is based on it,” he said.
Any association preparing its own report never writes anything negative, added Imam.
Sources said the donors have decided to discontinue a project, which the UN channelled into the country and involves funding from several countries, for the time being once its duration comes to an end the following year.
A commission official said the donors might have taken the decision as they had raised some objections, saying the commission was not fully working the way they thought it would.
The decision, however, has not been finalised yet, he added.
The NHRC commission did not entirely deny this but refused to comment before a final decision was made.
