Injustice not acceptable in name of dev: NHRC chief

Nobody should be deprived of their land rights for any development activities, said National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque on Sunday, reports UNB.

Mentioning the incident of setting fire to the houses of Santal community during the eviction drive in Gobindaganj upazila in 2016, he said in the process of land accusation for development activities, the compensation for land owner should be satisfactory and adequate.

The NHCR chairman came up with the observations while addressing a view exchange meeting on 'Land rights as human rights: Implementing the UN Guiding Principles of Business and Human Rights' held at the office of NHRC in the city.

At least nine human right bodies including NHRC and Association for Land Reform and development (ALRD) organised the programme.

He said with the funding of international monetary organisations, many transnational companies undertook various development programmes in different parts of the country including the hill tracks reason but they did not consult with the local communities and cognise their problems.

"For these activities, locals have to experience evection from their lands which is a violation of human rights", Reazul Hoque added.

He also mentioned that under the business and human rights direction of the United Nations Guiding Principles, the business institutions should be more sensible towards the people in the process of land accusation.

While speaking about the land rights of women, the chairman of NHRC urged that land ownership of the women need to be increased and female farmers have to be given all required facilities for their empowerment.