The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the government to take tough legal measures against those responsible for the violence unleashed amid the countrywide blockade.
In a statement on Friday, the commission expressed concern and said brutality against ‘innocent people’ in the name of political programmes could not be accepted.
BNP chief Khaleda Zia called the blockade of highways, railways and waterways failing to leave her office, due to police obstruction, to attend a party programme on Jan 5, marking the first anniversary of the last general election.At least 34 people have died in blockade-related violence including bomb attacks and arson of vehicles.
The commission said to ensure security of the lives and property of the people, the state needed to take stern actions against those creating anarchy.
It thinks the overall human rights situation of the country is gradually getting worse. NHRC said the current situation had threatened the ‘normal academic activities’ of the students.
“Petrol bombs are being hurled at students. In no way can it be accepted.” The BNP-led alliance had unleashed violence across the country after it had announced boycott of the Jan 5 polls.
Expressing concern over the attacks on students again this year, the commission advised law-enforcing agencies to be more active to secure people’s life and property.
Urging political parties to choose democratic means of protest, it said making people hostage in the name of political programmes was not acceptable.
NHRC said the statements of Amnesty International and Asian Human Rights Commission on Bangladesh’s human rights situation published on the media on Thursday did not represent the ‘fact’.
In both the statements, the commission said, political matters had been considered the main reasons for the vulnerable human rights situation.
“Violence is being caused to achieve political goals — it has not been given importance (in the statements).
NHRC thinks violence and terrorism cannot be the means of achieving political objectives.
Commission Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman and members Kazi Reazul Hoque, Prof Mahfuza Khanom, Selina Hossain, Aroma Dutta, Fawzia Karim Firoze and Nirupa Dewan signed the statement. – bdnews24.com
