Eminent political observers were sharply critical of the ministers for their remarks against National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Professor Mizanur Rahman.
Two ministers-Tofail Ahmed and Mohammad Nasim-at a function on Friday came down heavily on the NHRC chairman when he criticised the government on issue of security of religious minorities in the country.
Former Caretaker Government adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam said as Mizan’s comment has gone against the government, so the ministers reaction was obvious. He said it is true that the government has failed to ensure security to the minority communities.
Police filed cases accusing thousands of unnamed people after the recent attacks on the minority communities in different parts of the country, which he said, was not logical. Cases should be filed against the identified persons. The law enforcing agencies, he said, should carry out a thorough investigation into the incidents before filing the cases. Dr Akbar Ali Khan, another adviser to Caretaker Government said, the ministers should refrain from making such comments. Prior to making such comments they should see to it whether the accusations of the NHRC chairman were true or not, he said. If the government finds something wrong on his comment only then they can react, he said.
Former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Shakawat Hossain said the statement which the NHRC chairman made on Friday may be a part of NHRC findings and I hope what Professor Mizan said was not his personal observation.
If NHRC findings reveal what he had said as its chairman, there is nothing wrong in making the statement.
His comment may go against the government or any party, but the ministers should not have reacted angrily at a function. “This is unfortunate and we cannot expect such behaviour from the responsible ministers,” he added.
Commenting on cases accusing unnamed people, Hossain said in the process the issue of individual security is badly threatened. In the process, he said, people become radicals.
Both the parties are blaming each other when such incidents take place in the country. In my opinion, they are doing it only to hide the real culprits, he said.
Demanding a thorough investigation into the matter, he said, the government should form a judicial inquiry to probe into the matter to identify the real culprits who are involved in attacks on religious minorities.
Meanwhile, Professor Mizanur Rahman on Saturday said NHRC works in the interest of the country. NHRC, he said, does not do anything to please anybody. Whenever NHRC considers the need to give its opinion to protect people’s right, it acts as per rule, he said. The purpose of NHRC, he said, is to establish people’s right and there is no scope of misunderstanding.
