Every day human rights day
Amid growing concerns over abductions of many, allegedly by law enforcers, the country observes the United Nations' Human Rights Day today.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed December 10 as Human Rights Day in 1950. This year's slogan -- Human Rights 365 -- encompasses the idea that every day is a Human Rights Day.
To mark the day, several government and non-government organisations have arranged different programmes, including discussions, rallies and seminars in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
Maulik Adhikar Suraksha Committee, a platform for rights activists, has arranged a discussion in the capital's Jatiya Press Club this morning. Later, the activists holding black flags would form a human chain in front of the press club.
The move is aimed to protest the deteriorating state of human rights in the country, said Nur Khan, director (investigation) of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a rights body.
On the other hand, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is scheduled to bring out a procession from Dhaka University's TSC around 11:30am.
The procession would end near the Central Shaheed Minar. The rights body's Barisal, Rangpur and Sylhet units would bring out similar rallies in the respective districts in observance of the day, according to the website of NHRC.
According to an ASK report, as many as 250 people were abducted reportedly by law enforcers between 2007 and 2013. At least 68 people were picked up last year alone.
Eighty-two people were abducted in the first nine months of this year. Of them, 23 were found dead, while 10 others were released later, says the report.
Another ASK report shows that the number of extra-judicial killings came down to 91 in 2012 from 229 in 2009. The number, however, rose to 208 last year.
In the first 10 months this year, as many as 118 people were killed in “shootouts” between their “cohorts” and law enforcers.
Nur Khan claimed that even though there were numerous allegations against the law enforcers to this end, the “state” was not taking any actions against them.
“People are feeling insecure,” he said.
“The state may think that forced disappearance and crossfire would be effective in curbing criminal activities. But such shortcuts can never be the real solution to the problem,” added the ASK director.
Meanwhile, in a message yesterday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government had “strengthened” rights-related institutions, including the NHRC, for promoting and protecting people's human rights in the country.
The UNGA proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day to bring to the attention “of the peoples of the world” the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of its achievement for all peoples and all nations, according to UN website.
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