NHRC chief seeks authority to probe

Rights violations by law enforcers

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman yesterday sought the authority to investigate the human rights violations committed by law enforcers.
“We've no jurisdiction over the human rights violations committed by members of disciplinary forces and security forces. The government should empower the NHRC so that it can investigate such human rights violation,” he told The Independent.
He cited the example of the Australian human rights commission, saying that it can investigate any kind of human rights violations committed by anyone, including the armed forces. "But we don't have the power to investigate human rights violations committed by our armed forces," he observed.
“If the government gives us the power to investigate all kinds of human rights violations committed by any individual, including members of disciplinary forces and armed forces, we'd be able to work more freely and independently,” he said.
He also said that the government appoints bureaucrats at the top posts of the commission. "The commission has no power to appoint its own officials. The government should empower the commission so that it can appoint officials for the greater interest of the commission," he added.
Rahman said that they cannot function properly due to manpower shortage and scant resources.  He also said the government should allocate money through an independent budget for the commission. He further said that Jatiya Sangsad can allocate the money for the commission in order to work independently. "At present, the commission has to wait to get the nod from the law ministry to get funds. Sometimes, we can't work due to the funds crunch arising out of bureaucratic tangles," he added.
Referring to neighbouring countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan, the NHRC chairman said the human rights commissions of those countries enjoy more power. “I don’t want to mention the power enjoyed by human rights commissions in European countries. but even in comparison with our neighbouring countries, we don’t have much power to work for human rights violation,” he noted.
During the investigation process of any human rights violation incident, the Indian human rights commission can recommend the government to pay compensation for the victim. But we can’t that even after completion of our investigation,” he noted.
It is mandatory for the Indian government to comply with the commission’s recommendation, he said, adding that there is no alternative to empowering the commission to reduce the human rights violation incidents in the country.
However, eminent jurists and human rights activists expressed mixed reaction over the demand of the commission chairman.
Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru said, “Though the Indian national human commission has power to order different bodies, including the central government, regarding different issues of human rights violation, our human
rights commission has no such legal power.”
The commission should be empowered for improving the state of human rights in the country, he added.
Former law minister barrister Shafique Ahmed, however, held the opposite view. “The NHRC has enough inherent power in the existing laws. Officials of the commission should protect and promote human rights in the country,” he said.
Referring to some incidents where the victims were not allegedly allowed to enter the office of the NHRC chairman, Shafique Ahmed, also former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said the NHRC chief must not stick to his current attitude. “It’s not true that he (the chairman of NHRC) has no power to protect or investigate the human rights violations occurring in the country. He should visit various areas and find out where human rights have been violated. Officials of the commission should not wait in the AC rooms,” he said.
In response to a question, the former law minister said it seems that the NHRC boss is demanding
that he should be given the power of the police.
“The NHRC attends programmes in five-star hotels and he moves with police guards surrounding his big car,” he added.
Advocate Manzil Morshed, president of the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, said, “The NHRC may be empowered, but its capacity to protect human rights is mainly dependant on the person to whom the charge has been given.
Regarding empowering the human rights commission, law minister advocate Anisul Haque said, “I’ll consider the demand.”
Earlier, on August 16, Mizanur Rahman had urged the government to take steps to make the commission fully independent, at the inaugural session of a consultation meeting on the National Human Rights Commission’s second Draft Strategic Plan (2016-2020), at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.
The NHRC chief had said the commission needs more support from the government as well as from the international community to strengthen its capacity.

 

NHRC chief seeks authority to probe

Rights violations by law enforcers

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman yesterday sought the authority to investigate the human rights violations committed by law enforcers. Weve no jurisdiction over the human rights violations committed by members of disciplinary forces and security forces. The government should empower the NHRC so that it can investigate such human rights violation, he told The Independent. He cited the example of the Australian human rights commission, saying that it can investigate any kind of human rights violations committed by anyone, including the armed forces. But we dont have the power to investigate human rights violations committed by our armed forces, he observed. If the government gives us the power to investigate all kinds of human rights violations committed by any individual, including members of disciplinary forces and armed forces, wed be able to work more freely and independently, he said. He also said that the government appoints bureaucrats at the top posts of the commission. The commission has no power to appoint its own officials. The government should empower the commission so that it can appoint officials for the greater interest of the commission, he added. Rahman said that they cannot function properly due to manpower shortage and scant resources. He also said the government should allocate money through an independent budget for the commission. He further said that Jatiya Sangsad can allocate the money for the commission in order to work independently. At present, the commission has to wait to get the nod from the law ministry to get funds. Sometimes, we cant work due to the funds crunch arising out of bureaucratic tangles, he added. Referring to neighbouring countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan, the NHRC chairman said the human rights commissions of those countries enjoy more power. I dont want to mention the power enjoyed by human rights commissions in European countries. but even in comparison with our neighbouring countries, we dont have much power to work for human rights violation, he noted. During the investigation process of any human rights violation incident, the Indian human rights commission can recommend the government to pay compensation for the victim. But we cant that even after completion of our investigation, he noted. It is mandatory for the Indian government to comply with the commissions recommendation, he said, adding that there is no alternative to empowering the commission to reduce the human rights violation incidents in the country. However, eminent jurists and human rights activists expressed mixed reaction over the demand of the commission chairman. Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru said, Though the Indian national human commission has power to order different bodies, including the central government, regarding different issues of human rights violation, our human rights commission has no such legal power. The commission should be empowered for improving the state of human rights in the country, he added. Former law minister barrister Shafique Ahmed, however, held the opposite view. The NHRC has enough inherent power in the existing laws. Officials of the commission should protect and promote human rights in the country, he said. Referring to some incidents where the victims were not allegedly allowed to enter the office of the NHRC chairman, Shafique Ahmed, also former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said the NHRC chief must not stick to his current attitude. Its not true that he (the chairman of NHRC) has no power to protect or investigate the human rights violations occurring in the country. He should visit various areas and find out where human rights have been violated. Officials of the commission should not wait in the AC rooms, he said. In response to a question, the former law minister said it seems that the NHRC boss is demanding that he should be given the power of the police. The NHRC attends programmes in five-star hotels and he moves with police guards surrounding his big car, he added. Advocate Manzil Morshed, president of the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, said, The NHRC may be empowered, but its capacity to protect human rights is mainly dependant on the person to whom the charge has been given. Regarding empowering the human rights commission, law minister advocate Anisul Haque said, Ill consider the demand. Earlier, on August 16, Mizanur Rahman had urged the government to take steps to make the commission fully independent, at the inaugural session of a consultation meeting on the National Human Rights Commissions second Draft Strategic Plan (2016-2020), at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital. The NHRC chief had said the commission needs more support from the government as well as from the international community to strengthen its capacity.