Bangladesh NHRI established, members appointed

Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury, a former judge of the Supreme Court, has been appointed the chairman of the newly formed National Human Rights Commission.

President Iajuddin Ahmed has given the appointment to him as per recommendation of the selection body. Justice Amirul retired from the Appellate Division on June 23 last year.

Prof Niru Kumar Chakma, a teacher of the Department of Philosophy of Dhaka University, and Munira Khan, former chairperson of Fair Election Monitoring Alliance (FEMA), were also appointed as members of the commission.

The government has formed the commission on September 1 in order to investigate human rights violations and advise the government on the enforcement of international human rights covenants.

Prof Niru told The Daily Star that they were appointed for three years and he was asked to join the office on December 1.

"The aim of the NHRC is to protect and ensure human rights of the people of the country. We will work for developing human rights situation of the country by keeping pace with the world," he said.

Prof Niru said Bangladesh is pledge-bound to protect human rights and the formation of the NHRC will help to do this.

He also said the chairman and members of the commission will sit in an informal meeting today at its office on Hare Road in the capital.

On September 21, a high profile selection committee recommended their names to the President for the posts of chairman and members of the NHRC.

National Human Rights Commission Ordinance-2007 came into effect on September 1 to constitute the NHRC, which will investigate reports or complaints of human rights violations, negligence of human rights, and maintain the standards of prisons or correction facilities. It will mediate between disputing parties if necessary.

Date: 20 November 2008

Source: The Daily Star