Special Correspondent :
The National Human Rights Commission [NHRC] is scrutinizing the existing law with a view to conducting inquiry into the allegations of human rights violation committed by the law enforcement and security forces.
“In the existing law, the NHRC can launch investigation against the government officials. But if we want to carry out any probe against the members of law enforcement and security forces, we’ve to get clearance report from the government as per act 18 of the law. So, it could not be possible to investigate many allegations, as it takes huge time to get clearance,” said NHRC Chairman Kazi Reazul Haq.
He made the above observations while talking to newsmen after attending a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at secretariat in the city on Thursday.
In fact, the weakness of NHRC is nothing new! The concerned circle along with human rights activists had criticized sharply about the law even before its birth. The NHRC was reconstituted in 2009 as a national advocacy institution for human rights promotion and protection.
But the NHRC has got no power to investigate any human rights violation against the persons employed in the organizations, those are recognized as disciplined forces in the Constitution.
It is not the end. The government has no obligation to implement its recommendations, if the NHRC gives any report investigating any incident. And due to such limitations, the NHRC did not get expected success in the last nine years.
Detailing the steps taken by NHRC to amend the law, Kazi Reazul Haq said: “Now the existing law is under scrutiny. We’re examining it for amendment, so that the NHRC could conduct investigation against the disciplined forces and law enforcement agencies.”
Expressing dissatisfaction, the NHRC chief said: “For the said limitation, we can’t investigate a lot of allegations against the law enforcement agencies. Apart from it, we also laid emphasis on formulation of proper law as the government would properly treat our investigation report.”
“The proposals for amending the law have already been prepared. It will be placed to Law Ministry for vetting very shortly,” he said.
It is to be noted that killings by law enforcement agencies are common in Bangladesh. Presently, the law enforcement agencies are allegedly involved in extrajudicial killings which are also known as “crossfire”.
A recent survey of national newspapers conducted by the human rights organization Ain O Salish Kendra had indicated the enforced disappearance of several individuals, including women. Of the 43, six were later found dead; four were released after their abduction; and five were found in police custody. The fate and whereabouts of the other 28 was unknown.
Not only that, trials continued against Rapid Action Battalion officers charged with abducting and killing seven people in Narayanganj in April 2014. But no members of security forces implicated in enforced disappearance or other cases were brought to justice.
Detailing the organizational shortcomings, the NHRC chief further said: “We’ve also talked with Finance Minister about manpower shortage, office space, and etcetera. The Commission hasn’t any land of its own. Besides, our manpower is very short, only 48 persons. We’ve applied to increase the manpower up to 141 persons.”
“For that reason, it is not possible to oversee the human rights condition of 16 crore people. Our logistic support is also very poor. Whereas, our neighbouring India has been running human rights commission with 641 persons. Their budget is also very fat. We’ve informed these to the minister,” he added.
About human rights situation across the globe, he said: “The rights situation was not good at all last year. Its impact was reflected in our country, such as Rohingya refugee influx into Bangladesh.”
Referring to brutal killings of Rajon and Rakib, the NHRC Chairman said: “Tough punishment has been ensured to the killers of two minor boys, there are several other incidents where no action was taken. The children are subjected to rape and torture…. To stop such incidents, it needs to increase awareness among the general people. The punishment of the guilty must be ensured. And to get fruitful result, everybody’s participation should be ensured in this regard.”
Earlier, former NHRC Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman had also sought the authority to investigate the human rights violations committed by disciplinary forces and security forces.
But the government did not pay any heed to his appeal.
