Speakers at a progamme here yesterday urged the government to formulate a law on elimination of discrimination before the upcoming general election and fulfill the demand of the country’s Harijan and Dalit people, reports UNB.

They came up with the call at a programme arranged by Bangladesh Horijan Yokkha Parishad (BHYP), marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“When the draft was finalised by the Bangladesh Law Commission, Law Minister had assured us that the draft will be passed in parliament within three months. But that three months never ended,” former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission in Bangladesh Dr Mizanur Rahman said while speaking at the progamme as the chief guest.

Questioning the delay in the law formulation, he said the government cannot keep deceiving the ill-fated people only by giving assurance of ensuring their rights.

Mentioning that equality, social justice and human dignity are the three moral basics of the Liberation War, Mizanur Rahman claimed that the state has failed to ensure the three criteria for the Harijan and Dalit people.

MP Shirin Akhter, executive director of Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) Meghna Guhathakurta, General Secretary of BHYP Nirmal Chandra Das also spoke on the occasion.

Mentioning that such a law is essential, Shirin Akhter said the delay in formulation of the law is unacceptable.

Meghna Guhathakurta said unity is a must to solve the problems.

During the porgramme, Nirmal Chandra Das on behalf Bangladesh Dalit Parishad and Bangladesh Harijan Yokkha Parishad, announced that if their 10-point demand is not met ahead of the national election, the one crore people of Harijan and Dalit community will support the political party in the upcoming election which will take initiatives to fulfill their demands.