Sooner emergency goes, better it'll be for HR, says Justice Kabir
Sunday, 7 December 2008
As the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) formally started functioning from December 1 with its onerous mission, its chairman Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury Saturday defined the root causes of HR violations and promised to uphold the sacred task of protecting human rights in the country with cooperation of all, reports UNB.
"I assure you, we'll keep the sacred trust that has been reposed in us. We shall not betray our commitment," he said at a dialogue on 'National and Regional Institutions for the Protection of Human Rights: Challenges for Bangladesh' at a city hotel.
Justice Chowdhury observed that under state of emergency fundamental rights were violated and so the sooner it was lifted was the better. "Under the state of emergency all kinds of fundamental rights of human beings are violated. The sooner lifted is the better," he told his audience at a time when major political parties were pressing for withdrawal of the emergency ahead of the holding of the long-stalled national elections, set for December 29.
Justice Chowdhury listed numerous challenges and enemies of human rights in a disparate society-poverty and illiteracy being the biggest ones. And "the root cause is inequality".
He said that the need for food and clothing was more grave in Bangladesh compared to developed countries.
Though late, the government set up the NHRC that started its journey from zero, he said. He, however, assured that the Commission would not turn out to be a toothless body.
Justice Chowdhury observed that democracy was essential for upholding human rights and real democracy safeguards human rights and people get the taste of the fruit of democracy.
"We're to make a society free from hatred, malice and violence," he said.
French Ambassador Charley Causeret, Dr Kamal Hossain, chairperson of the South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (SALIS), Dr Abdullah Al Faruque of Chittagong University, Noemie Bienvenu, Legal Adviser to the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights, France, and Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Advocate of the Supreme Court, made presentations at the dialogue jointly organised by SALIS and the French Embassy.
"I assure you, we'll keep the sacred trust that has been reposed in us. We shall not betray our commitment," he said at a dialogue on 'National and Regional Institutions for the Protection of Human Rights: Challenges for Bangladesh' at a city hotel.
Justice Chowdhury observed that under state of emergency fundamental rights were violated and so the sooner it was lifted was the better. "Under the state of emergency all kinds of fundamental rights of human beings are violated. The sooner lifted is the better," he told his audience at a time when major political parties were pressing for withdrawal of the emergency ahead of the holding of the long-stalled national elections, set for December 29.
Justice Chowdhury listed numerous challenges and enemies of human rights in a disparate society-poverty and illiteracy being the biggest ones. And "the root cause is inequality".
He said that the need for food and clothing was more grave in Bangladesh compared to developed countries.
Though late, the government set up the NHRC that started its journey from zero, he said. He, however, assured that the Commission would not turn out to be a toothless body.
Justice Chowdhury observed that democracy was essential for upholding human rights and real democracy safeguards human rights and people get the taste of the fruit of democracy.
"We're to make a society free from hatred, malice and violence," he said.
French Ambassador Charley Causeret, Dr Kamal Hossain, chairperson of the South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (SALIS), Dr Abdullah Al Faruque of Chittagong University, Noemie Bienvenu, Legal Adviser to the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights, France, and Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Advocate of the Supreme Court, made presentations at the dialogue jointly organised by SALIS and the French Embassy.