The panel discussants at a roundtable on “The State of Human Rights in Bangladesh” on Saturday called upon all to raise voice against the violation of human rights in the country, saying that the country is now plunged in violation of human rights situation. The New Nation and South Asia Youth for Peace and Prosperity Society (SAYPPS) jointly arranged the roundtable discussion in the conference room of the newspaper. Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury of Gonoswasthya Kendra, Chairman of Bangladesh Kallyan Party Maj General (retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim Birpratik, Convener of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna, journalist and columnist Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Professor of Dhaka University Dr Ahmed Zamal Anwar, Supreme Court Lawyer Barrister Fatema Anwar, Director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA) Advocate Rehana Sultana, two sisters of an abducted person Marufa Islam and Sanjida Islam spoke in the discussion.Editor of The New Nation A.M. Mufazzal chaired the function and Assistant Professor of Department of Anthropology, University of Chittagong, NM Sajjadul Haque moderated it, while Col (Retd) Z.R.M. Ashraf Uddin delivered the keynote paper. Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said that incident of violation of human rights in Bangladesh is much more than the situation what we are seen. The poor state of human rights situation is reflected in the statistics that a total of 88 people were killed in encounters in the last seven months of the current year. He said that the killing of citizens of the country is being occurred in several ways. Terming the death sentence and execution of the capital punishment as ‘nothing but judicial killing’, he said that the judicial killing is also being happened along with other types of killings.Dr Zafrullah also talked about the role of judiciary. The silent role of judiciary will promote violation of human rights in the society, he said. He urged the Bangladesh Supreme Court to play active role with a view to decreasing the incidents of violation of human rights in the country. Syed Ibrahim Birpratik said that the society is gradually marching towards intolerance and violence, while the country is going to be a state of insensibility. “We are becoming irrational animal day by day,” he said. He discussed the ongoing political onslaught of those in opposition parties, especially the leaders and activists associated with the 20-party alliance. Not only the political leaders and workers, none is safe in the present time, he said. He urged all to put pressure on the current regime in order to prevent them from committing further repression and human rights violations.Syed Ibrahim also criticised the government for its silent role when the Bangladeshis are being killed in South Africa and some other countries.Mahmudur Rahman Manna said that everybody should raise the voice against the violation of human rights across the country. “We have no chance to avoid the situation to save us,” he said. He also said, “If we fail to ensure the human rights in our country, we must be liable for the darkness situation. As a result, our next generation will also be faced a calamity.”He claimed that the country is now facing lack of democratic environment following the January 5 polls. The polls created worst situation in the every sector of the country, he said. Ahmed Zamal Anwar said that the country has been passing a lack of good governance due to unfair and non-democratic government. The present government is not accepted by all, as it came to power following the January-5 voter less election, he said. Anwar also said that such government could not ensure the human rights. So the government has to arrange a free, fair and acceptable election with participation of all, he said. In his presidential speech, A.M. Mufazzal thanked all for taking part in the roundtable. Discussing from the present and past situations of the country, he said, “Let us not curse the darkness instead light up candle.”Ashraf Uddin, in his keynote paper, said that the country is now passing through a critical situation due to deterioration of the law and order as well as violation of human rights. “Prime Minister, Ministers and Attorney General are now practicing the theory of denial according to their own interest,” he said. He also said that there is no alternative to the united movement and public awareness to establish the rule of law in the society.
