Apart from care and medical support, the HIV-positive people need protection from social isolation, extreme harassment and exploitation, they said.

The HIV/Aids and STD Alliance Bangladesh (Hasab), supported by Manusher Jonno, organised the seminar on 'Human Rights and HIV' in the city, with Prof Dr Nazrul Islam, chairman of virology department, BSMMU, in the chair.

Dr Nazneen Akhter, executive director of Hasab, presented a keynote paper on 'Rights and realities of marginal people'.

"There is a Universal Declaration on Human Rights that 'All human being are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in the spirit of brotherhood', but the HIV/Aids-affected people, often known as marginalised, socially excluded and vulnerable, face serious discrimination and can not enjoy their rights in society," she said.

She also said that injecting drug users, sex workers, eunuchs (locally known as hijra) and HIV-positive people are isolated from society as people consider them as criminals. But they should enjoy equal rights as the common people, she added.

Shaheen Anam, team leader of Manuhser Jonno, called for implementation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights to bring about a change in society.

Dr MA Sabur, sector manager of Health, Nutrition and Population, DFID, called on the social workers to raise awareness about HIV/Aids and the rights of people living with the deadly disease.

According to a health and demographic survey, 60 percent of the people in the country know how HIV/Aids infections spread, but most of them do not know how to prevent the deadly disease, he said.

Advoacate Elina Khan, executive director of Bangladesh Manobadhikar Bastobayan Sangstha, and Dr Selina Ferdous of Hasab also spoke at the seminar held at the BETS Centre.