Responsible for electrocution of six members of a family must be punished: NHRC chairman

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman Kamal Uddin Ahmed on Thursday termed the incidents of the death of six members of a family due to electrocution in Moulvibazar as very shocking and heartbreaking.

"Appropriate legal action must be taken against those responsible after investigation and necessary measures have to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future," he said while addressing at the discussion meeting titled 'Role of Media in Protection of Human Rights and Consumer Rights' organised by 'Business Digest' in a city hotel on Thursday (28 March).

The NHRC chairman said, "Though we could not do anything for a family, but we have to do for hundreds of such families."

He also said, "The issue of rights is directly and indirectly the daily practice of the media. Media can question all the irregularities, make people aware of their rights and duties and play an important role in establishing rights. We can carry out reforms only in view of the news published in the media."

The NHRC Chairman called on the journalists to take all-out efforts to spread the necessary knowledge about the constitution, law and rights among the people.

At one point in the discussion, he talked about the recurrence of fires.

"The main responsible persons and institutions should be brought under accountability. We have not learned proper lessons from the big fires and explosions that took place in Nimtali, Newmarket and Bangabazar in the past years. Had we taken effective measures, recurrence of fires could have been prevented," he said.