NEWS report in a national English daily on Sunday said Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof Mizanur Rahman has condemned the ongoing violence now raging the country and asked the government not to enter into dialogue with ‘terrorists’ who are burning people to death. He said terrorists, meaning the opposition are challenging the monopoly of power of the state through carrying out violent acts in the name of a movement. Surprisingly the NHRC Chief did not clarify who are those people — whether they are outfits, individuals or political parties steering this movement. He also goes without clearing what are the causes they are championing by taking this movement to the streets. He just cancelled out them as terrorists buying the government identity of the opposition demanding the authorities to destroy them using the monopoly power of the state however forgetting the fact that state also gives constitutional protection to its citizens. It is true that many unruly elements are taking advantage of the ongoing movement but it is again the responsibility of the government to bring calm and seek a political solution to the election issue now destabilizing the country.
The NHRC Chief speaking at a seminar in the city on Saturday moreover said terrorists are challenging the foundation of the state and this of tantamount to sedition and a criminal offence. But he did not say whether or not the opposition is also a party to the state and why the government is denying them democratic space. He simply urged the state to play its due role in getting rid of this terrorism keeping mum over the opposition’s deprivation.
We are utterly appalled by the fact that he is openly misusing the public office at a time when he was expected to demand calm instead of instigating the government to use excessive force on the opposition. He was also expected to give call for dialogue with the opposition but instead he asked the government not to enter into dialogue to end the crisis. It hears strange from the Chief of the country’s independent human rights watch body. He was also duty bound at this moment to take a strong stance against abductions and killing of opposition leaders and workers in cross-fire, their arrest on political ends and stop such other police harassment. These are the basic human rights and Mr Mizan is mandated to work to protect and promote them and give legal aid to the victims. But to our utter surprise, we see that he is encouraging the government and the law enforcing agencies to deal the opposition with use of force.
This is clearly a partisan stance and unacceptable that breaks the limits of his public office. Moreover when all international human rights organizations are descrying flagrant human rights violation in Bangladesh, why Mr Mizan is misusing the NHRC to work as an underdog of the regime. We would rather ask him to join in politics.
