Role of NHRC criticised as it acts more on ‘insignificant’ issues

Human rights activists on Thursday came down heavily on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), saying the commission attaches more importance to insignificant issues than to incidents of human rights violation.

They also said eight government agencies are exempted from the Right to Information (RTI) Act, but in most cases they are accused of human rights violations.

They called upon the commission to adopt a strict stance in more human rights violation-related incidents, such as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

NHRC chairperson Nasima Begum, however, criticized the role of the media in portraying the commission in a way that undermines its activities.

She said the commission is against all kinds of human rights violations. But it has nothing more to do except seeking reports unless Article 18 (2) of the commission act is amended.   

The observations on the NHRC were made at a virtual dialogue with the NHRC organized by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK).

ASK senior coordinator Abu Ahmed presented the human rights situation report from January till November, which revealed that acid violence in the country is on the rise again with 22 such crimes committed this year. 

In 2020, there were a total of 27 acid violence incidents while the number was 19 in 2019, 22 in 2018, 32 in 2017 and 34 in 2016.

The ASK report also showed that as many as 78 people died in jail custody, six people were claimed to be the victims of enforced disappearance. Of them, three came back home. As many as 14 people were shot dead at the Bangladesh-India border while one person was killed through torture. About 28 people died in mob beating.

The report said a total of 162 cases were filed under the Digital Security Act until November this year. Of the total number of accused, 198 journalists were faced with harassment. There were 688 incidents of political violence in which 130 were people were killed and 8598 injured. About 184 incidents of attacks on the homes of religious minorities took place, resulting in 301 people being injured and 203 temples damaged.  

About 1348 children were subjected to violence, with the number of those killed being 547.  

A total of 1247 incidents of rape were reported while 286 incidents of attempted rape took place. As many as 46 rape victims died after rape, while nine of them committed suicide.

The ASK report was prepared on the basis of news published in several national media outlets.

ASK executive director Golam Monwar Kamal said less important activities like organizing essay competitions and creating awareness should be handed over to grassroots level human rights activists and human rights organisations like ASK.  

"We expect a stronger role of the National Human Rights Commission over incidents like enforced disappearances, homicides and extrajudicial killings," he said.

A human rights activist from Satkhira, Manabchandra Das, said the eight government agencies which are exempted from RTI act are mostly accused of human rights violation. Besides, many government offices do not provide information under RTI.

He sought the intervention of the commission in these cases.  

Human rights activist Abdur Rahman from Jhenidah said NHRC remains active only in incidents which are highlighted on social media. But every incident deserves justice to which the NHRC should give more importance.  

Another rights activist said the NHRC should ensure the right of people to justice by probing incidents of a recovery of bodies from railway tracks, for such incidents are currently neglected.

In her responses to the comments, Nasima Begum said the matter of 1,52,000 people taking part in the essay competition titled 'Bangabandhu and Human Rights' should not be looked down upon. So many people are now thinking about human rights which is an achievement, she added.

Criticising the media, she said they portray the NHRC as if it is doing more social welfare and woman and child affairs ministry's works rather than working on human rights violation issues.   

She also observed that the mass media like to publish negative news only but they should have the attitude to highlight positive things also.

"You are repeatedly blaming us for not being vocal against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. But we want to make it clear that we do not support such acts. But we cannot do more than to ask for a report only, unless Article 18 (2) of the commission law is amended," she said.