Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a seminar in the capital on Saturday underscored the need for people’s awareness and unity to establish fundamental human rights. They deplored that the people remained deprived of human rights and were living in a suffocating environment.
Justice Shahidul Islam, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh was the chief guest at the seminar organized by the Human Development Society of Bangladesh at the National Press Club in observance of the Human Rights Day.
Presided over by veteran journalist and editor of the Naya Diganta, Alamgir Mohiuddin, the seminar was also addressed by Mostafa Kamal Majumder, editor-in-charge, the New Nation, Kader Gani Chowdhury, president and Shahidul Islam, general secretary, Dhaka Union of Journalists, Advocates Jalaluddin Bhuiyan and Saifur Rahman among others. A paper was presented by Dr. Md. Golam Rahman Bhuiyan.
Justice Shahidul Islam said that a way out of the suffocating human rights situation would come if the people become conscious and collectively work to achieve these rights. Referring to the refusal of foreign treatment to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia he said that such denial can be applicable only to murder convicts.
In his presidential address Alamgir Mohiuddin called for people’s unity for truth and establishment of rights of the people.
Mostafa Kamal Majumder said although according to the Constitution human rights cannot be violated, the power to amend the charter overrides the sanctity of human rights. Again the guarantee of human rights has become insecure in the absence of free and fair elections without which reflection of the will of the people is not impossible.
Kader Gani Chowdhury said it was a matter of shame that present and former senior officials of RAB have been sanctioned by the United States and that Bangladesh was not invited to the democracy summit organized by President Joe Biden. He said denial of foreign treatment to Khaleda was violation of her fundamental right to health.
