Call to make NHRC effective

Rights activists at a seminar in the city Saturday called for making the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) effective and truly independent to protect the human rights in the country, reports UNB. They observed that at present the NHRC does not have any power and urged the government to make it capable enough so that it can take action and form charges against human rights violators. Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC), Dhaka organised the seminar at the National Press Club on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day. BHRC advisor and UNB Chairman Amanullah Khan, BHRC President Kazi Rezaul Islam and BHRC Secretary General Dr Saiful I Dildar, among others, spoke at the seminar. BHRC, Dhaka Convener Mohammad Motior Rahman was in the chair. Amanullah Khan called for making the NHRC powerful and independent of the government control to enable it to effectively deal with the cases of human rights violation. He also urged the government to appoint an ombudsman to ensure good governance in the country. "The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), which has no power, should be conferred with adequate power to stem the tide of rising corruption in the country, which is costing the nation's about 2 per cent of its GDP," Khan said. He also said that the theme of the day, this year, selected by the UN Human Rights Commission is 'Global Conversation on Human Rights'. The theme is selected due to recent popular upsurge in the Middle East and other countries, which emerged through the social media.