National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said yesterday that the state had become a rich-friendly institution, and was not looking after the underprivileged citizens of the country.
Prof Mizan also said it was now time to raise the question of whether or not the state wanted welfare for the poor sections of society.
“This state has become too pro-wealth. Does this country actually want to bring change to the lives of the underprivileged, oppressed and poor citizens of the country? Does this state really want empowerment of the citizens who have long been deprived?” he asked.
The NHRC chief also opined that most of the laws in the country were pro-rich rather than inclusive of the needs of all quarters.
“Law is not a tool which teaches people to love. But it is obviously a tool which bars citizens from expressing hatred towards one another,” he said while giving a speech at a seminar.
The seminar, entitled “Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discriminations Against Women and Dalit women: Bangladesh Context (Cedaw)” was held at Cirdap in the city. Jahangirnagar University teacher Farzana Islam presented the keynote paper.
Pointing out Bangladesh’s opt-outs in the Cedaw, Mizanur said discrimination in the country would not end if such opt-outs were not withdrawn immediately. “It is a mockery, particularly when we ratified the Cedaw to put opt-outs in its core articles.”
Bangladesh ratified the convention in 1984 but opted out of article 2, which says the state will condemn discrimination against women in all its forms and will pursue by all appropriate means introduce a policy to eliminate discrimination against women, and article 16, which says the state will take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations.
The NHRC chairman said the empowerment of Dalit women was related to the empowerment of women in general.
