THE definition of ‘Human Rights’ has almost been redefined to include authorizing shooting, killing or hurting the political opponents by the Chairman of the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (NHRC) while he said, shooting protesters does not violate law or human rights if the security forces feel insecure. Surprisingly, our civilian security forces have already earned the fame of arbitrary killing without fearing its security, rather at their whims or for just to satisfy their political bosses. Now with the endorsement of the Human Rights Boss, the killing spree of the law enforcers will perhaps get new momentum and that will help thereto to fulfil the desire of the government to suppress its political rivals. Appalling is the fact that the NHRC is a state body and its Chairman is a holder of a constitutional post assigned to defend the rights of the people. So what the NHRC Chief said can no way be considered as words of a protector of people’s rights or franchise.
As per reports of an English daily, the Chairman of the NHRC Dr Mizanur Rahman on Saturday ruled out any dialogue to resolve the present political impasse calling the protesters as terrorists. This is the fourth in a row of politically motivated remarks made by public officials after the BGB, RAB and the Police Chiefs who hold public offices and are paid with taxpayers’ incomes. Surprisingly, when the responsibilities lie within these state organs to protect people’s rights, they are just doing the opposite by acting like activists of a particular party.
The confrontations happening around the country are no doubt unacceptable and condemnable. But the root of these heinous activities must be rooted out through dialogue. When the farcical Jan 05 elections is the origin of this crisis, then a free, fair and inclusive election can only be the ultimate solution to break the political blockade, not force or fear. If it is the psychological game of the ruling party, then it must not see an engagement of the statutory bodies who should only work for people’s service, not according to party lines. The rights body chief cannot prove his partisan loyalty to his mentor – the political party, which puts him there. He has failed to realize his own constitutional position and his border of responsibility. When the international rights bodies, especially, the UN, Amnesty International or Asian Human Rights Commission cried for the inhuman political repression in Bangladesh, our national rights body also must put the right stress on political peace and harmony through dialogue for democracy, and on the need for people’s franchise to elect their government.
We ask the chair of the NHRC, if he has indeed a fascination for politics, it would be better for him to leave the post and join politics, where he can be a more sincere activist of the ruling party, even more than its seasoned bosses. Because, the Constitution – the supreme law of the land – has earmarked his border of duties.
