Online desk : Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq has reiterated the government’s stance on protecting rights of the people, saying if anybody violates human rights (HR) in Bangladesh, he or she will be brought to justice.
“The government’s position on human rights violation is very clear If any individual violates human rights in Bangladesh, he or she will to be brought to justice,” the law minister said while speaking virtually at a function in the capital on Saturday.
Recalling the contributions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in upholding human rights, he said after the independence in 1971, the Father of the Nation had declared human rights as one of the basic principles of running the state in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.
The main spirit of Bangabandhu’s ideology, Anisul said, is to eradicate poverty through ensuring freedom, good governance and removing inequality in society.
“But in today’s world, it has become a great challenge to establish and protect human rights as well as combat terrorism and poverty,” he observed.
Earlier, the law minister distributed the prizes of an essay competition titled “Bangabandhu and Human Rights” where over 52,000 students from class IX to XII took part in the nationwide. The competition was organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), marking the ‘Mujib Borsho’, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu.
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury joined the function as the chief guest.
About Bangabandhu, the minister said since his childhood, the benevolent and human qualities had developed in his (Bangabandhu) character.
“There is no record that any helpless person became disappointed, seeking help from Bangabandhu… His heart always cried seeing human sufferings,” he added.
The law minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, in line with Bangabandhu’s ideals, is working to tackle and eradicate all forms of terrorism and poverty from the country.
Her government is committed to establish justice in the country by uprooting terrorism, eradicating poverty and ensuring good governance, he added.
Due to the sincere efforts of the government, Huq said, trials of major human rights violations, including Bangabandhu’s assassination, killings of four national leaders and crimes against humanity committed during the War of Liberation in 1971, were held on this soil.
He said the independent and statutory National Human Rights Commission and the National Legal Aid Agency have been established in Bangladesh to protect human rights and ensure justice for disadvantaged people.
“Bangladesh became member of the United Nations Human Rights Council three times,” the law minister told the programme.
NHRC Chairman Nasima Begum presided over the ceremony. NHRC Member Kamal Uddin Ahmed and UNDP Resident Representative Sudipta Mukherjee spoke there.
