MJF thanks govt for tabling anti-discrimination bill in JS

Manushser Jonno Foundation (MJF) has thanked the government for placing the Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022 in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The proposed law aims to protect, uphold and ensure equal rights and dignity of all human beings.

Addressing the development, MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam, in a press release issued on Wednesday, said, "The placing of the draft anti-discrimination bill in the parliament makes us hopeful. 

"This law will become a powerful tool for realising the demands and rights of the marginalised people and protecting their dignity."

According to the draft law, "Inequalities have been eliminated worldwide through a number of international conventions."

In this context, the issues of elimination of inequality have been clearly mentioned (in the Act). This law has been brought in that light."

The bill defies the activities of discrimination.

As per the bill a monitoring committee would be established.

The Law Minister shall be the Chairman of the Central Committee and a joint secretary from the legislative wing will be its member secretary.

Besides, the president of Bangladesh Employers Federation, three representatives of human rights and social service organisations, two workers representatives - one of whom will be a tea worker, four representatives of different religious organisations, one representative of minority ethnic group, one representative of Dalit community will be its member.

The committee will monitor if any violation of human rights is occurring or not, across the country.

It will hold at least one meeting in three months.

An anti-discrimination cell will be formed. The cell will then form anti-discrimination national, divisional, district and other committees to prevent discriminatory activities.

The government, as per the bill, will create awareness among the people so that that no discrimination takes place across the society.

If anyone lodges a complaint, the district committee will investigate the matter within 30 days.

If the district committee fails to provide proper remedy, the complainant could urge the divisional committee for an enquiry within 30 days of filing the complaint.

In case, the divisional committee fails, the national committee will investigate and take action after 45 days.

If the aggrieved person files a case in the appropriate court, the case has to be disposed of within 90 days.

If he fails to do so within 90 days, the case will have to be extended by a maximum of another 15 days.

The bill states that any person who engages in the following acts directly or indirectly on the pretext of religion, caste, ethnicity, ethnicity, language, age, gender, physical, mental or third gender, place of birth, birth, occupation and untouchability is considered discriminatory.

# Preventing, controlling or restricting the entry or presence of any person or group in public places;

# Deprived of access to government semi-government, autonomous or private office services;

# Restricting the production, sale or marketing of any product or service legally or imposing controls and restrictions on the acceptance of any benefit or product or service prescribed by law;

# Refusal or obstruction to enroll a child in an educational institution due to the inability of parents to provide identification without proper reason or expulsion from educational institutions or any other form of discrimination;

# Transferring a child to a particular person, group or institution without raising a child in the family because of disability or being of the third sex, or obstructing family life on the pretext of disability;

# Prohibit any person or group from taking up any legitimate occupation or job or conducting legitimate business;

# Differentiation, deprivation, restriction, restriction or compulsion to resign in employment, leave, promotion, transfer, salary-allowance or benefits in government, semi-government, autonomous or private employment;

# Denial to renting out a house or place of residence to an individual or group or denying an application or imposing strict conditions;

# Preventing an individual or group from entering his or her home, evicting or forcing him or her to leave the area or residence;

# Rural arbitration or socially or religiously bringing a person or group together, socially boycotting or harassing;

# Discriminatory treatment due to divorce, widow or divorce or marital relationship;

# Forbidding an individual or group to observe any religious rites or customs or forcing them to adopt and observe or abandon any other religion;

# Preventing any person or group from legally acquiring and transferring property and depriving them of property rights or inheritance;

# Creating barriers to participation in social, political, and cultural activities at the local and national levels.