Do human rights exist only to be trampled?

It is ironic and disillusioning that the 75th anniversary of Human Rights Day comes at a time when the human rights record all over the globe is abysmal. The most stark example of this is the merciless and disproportionate military retaliation by Israel for Hamas's October 7 attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead. So far, Israel's relentless bombardment before and after the few days of truce has already killed more than 17,000 Palestinians, more than 7,000 of them children, while maiming thousands of others. What has been most shocking is the unwavering support of the western world, particularly the US and the UK, for Israel's blatant violation of international laws and human rights, allowing Israel to carry on with its genocidal operations.

The rise of far rightist, ultra-nationalist movements around the world is a major factor in the increase in human rights violations. In South Asia, grave violations of human rights continue. In Pakistan, human rights organisations have reported enforced disappearances, torture, crackdown on peaceful protests, attacks on journalists and violence against religious minorities and other marginalised groups. In India, the rise of religious-based nationalism has severely curtailed the rights of minority communities with many instances of violent attacks as well as clamping down on freedom of speech and expression.

Bangladesh, too, has had a damning human rights record. What is most disappointing is the government's characteristic response to reports from human rights organisations—staunch denial. But the ground realities prove otherwise. The human rights violations in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT), the choking of freedom of speech with draconian laws like the Digital Security Act (now changed to the Cyber Security Act, with merely cosmetic changes), custodial torture and death, curbing of independent media, arbitrary arrests and slapping of innumerable cases on opposition party leaders (including "ghost cases"), and preventing peaceful assembly, have been allowed to continue. The politicisation of law enforcement agencies as well as an implicit carte blanche to the political elite, have resulted in a significant rise in these violations where the ordinary people or those who are not connected to power, are the victims. Violence against women and children (that includes sexual violence) in Bangladesh this year has also been very high.

This year's theme for Human Rights Day is "Freedom, Equality and Justice for All". What we are witnessing in Gaza is a grotesque parody of this theme where the western powers, which so proudly champions human rights elsewhere, have pathetically failed to play their expected role. Governments all over the world must acknowledge the violations occurring under their reign and make sincere commitments to uphold The Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is a common standard of rights every human being is entitled to.