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PM recalls role of Indian, Russian war veterans in 1971

Human Rights Report
Expressing her gratitude to the war veterans of India and Russia who fought for liberating Bangladesh in 1971 and contributed to removing mines from Chittagong port and its adjacent areas, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the people of Bangladesh will never forget their immense sacrifice and contributions, reports AP. "We always remember your contributions. We liberated the country under the leadership of our great leader Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and you gave an all-out support.You yourself fought for our liberation, which we'll never forget. It's your country and you're always welcome here," she said. The Prime Minister was addressing a reception she hosted to the visiting war veterans of India and Russiaat the green lawn of PM's official residence Ganobhaban in the afternoon. A total of 27 war veterans, their spouses and children, four serving military officials, six embassy staff of India and four war veterans and their spouses and three embassy staff of Russia joined the reception. Lieutenant General Jai Bhawan Singh Yadava led the delegation of the war veterans.

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Total 212 persons killed in December, 2017

Human Rights Report:

The documentation section of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC) and International Human Rights CommissionIHRC jointly furnished this human rights survey report on the basis of daily newspapers and information received from its district, subdistrict and municipal branches. As per survey it appears that 212 peoples were killed in December, 2017 in all over the country. It proves that the law and order situation is not satisfactory. Bangladesh Human Rights Commissions extremely anxious about this situation. In the month of December, 2017 average 6 people were killed in each day.
The Law enforcing agencies and related Govt. departments should be more responsible so that percentage of killing December be brought down to zero level. To institutionalize the democracy and to build human rights based society the rule of law and order must be established everywhere. Through enforcing rule of law only such violation against human rights can be minimized.
It appears from documentation division of BHRC:
Total 212 person killed in December, 2017
Killing for dowry 10, Killing by family violence 31, Killed due to social discrepancy 43, Political killing 6, Killed by Law enforcing authority 12, Killed by BSF 6, Killed due to doctor negligence 7, Kill due to abduction 11, Assassination 7, Mysterious death 71, Women & Chilled killed due to rape 9.
Killed by several accidents: Killed by road accident 235, Suicide 23.
Besides victims of torture: Rape 25, Sexual Harassment 6, Torture for Dowry 7.

 

 Only dynamism of UN special envoy can save Rohingyas

 

Human Rights Report:
The UN General Assembly's latest resolution to end the Myanmar military's campaign against helpless Muslim Rohingyas has invariably come from a sense of urgency through four months of ethnic cleansing. It appears Myanmar will not stop the genocide before the last Rohingya Muslims is cleared from the land.
We also welcome UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres move to assign a new special envoy for Myanmar to watch and report on human rights condition and Myanmar government treatment of Rohingyas. Myanmar is blocking entry to existing UN's rights envoy Yanghee Lee blaming her for hostile outlook. The Secretary General is right to appoint a new envoy to alley Myanmar's reservation but its refusal to take such envoy and give access to other UN inspectors only suggests too much arrogance on the part of Myanmar and not feeling guilty about genocide.
The discovery of a mass grave in Rakhine State last week came as an ominous sign that many more such mass graves await discovery. Many national and international commentators already fear the genocide in Rakhine resembles that of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina in mid-1990s and it needs wider investigation. .
We are appalled why China, Russia and some other East Asian Buddhist countries are opposed to the UN Secretary General's move to appoint a new human rights envoy to Myanmar. What message Russia, China, who opposed the resolution on genocide of Rohingyas by Myanmar army, are conveying? Their self-interest is making them forget consideration for innocent men, women and children
massacred in Myanmar. What the world's big powers like Russia and China will build if they are left to themselves. India has let down Bangladesh, although the crisis is about humanity and the burden of refugees is unbearable for Bangladesh.
The Rohingya crisis is a big humanitarian crisis involving their right to live in their ancestral land. We can't realize why Russia is so interested to help Myanmar to destroy a minority community here from a long distance. Why China and India are opposed to the existence of Rohingyas as they are facing genocide. It betrays all human values when people are dying under protection of big powers.
More significantly China's hostile policy towards Rohingyas is openly affecting Bangladesh at a time China claims as one of our best friends. India is not also standing by our side when Myanmar action is directly impacting Bangladesh's safety and security. It is a shame that only 10 countries are trying to shield Myanmar from UN action supported by China and Russian veto power.

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Bonding over Bangla in China
AKM Moinuddin  

Bangla language and Asia's first Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore have been holding a special place in Peking University (Beijing University) for decades showcasing stronger cultural ties between China and Bangla-speaking people in the region.
Chinese people still practise works of Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian literary giant, and do research on his creative works falling in love with his poems and his friendship with China.
"We'll continue to promote  Bangla and creative works of Rabindranath Tagore. Through this, our friendship will grow and research will see advancement," Peking University Prof Wei Liming told Dhaka Courier.
Prof Wei at the Department of Asian and African Languages and Literatures, School of Foreign Language under the University said they have introduced Bangla Language and Rabindranath courses which will strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
"Course related to Rabindranath is one of the most popular courses here," she said adding that Rabindranath is being practised in China for 100 years.
She said the role of Peking University in the history of Rabindranath practice is very significant.
The professor mentioned that there are three statues of Rabindranath in China and the oldest one is in the Peking University.
Rabindranath Tagore visited China in 1924 and 1929 during which he spent time in Shanghai and several other cities. He widely interacted with top Chinese personalities of that time.
Rabindranath Tagore wrote this poem under the title 'On My Birthday' on 21st February, 1941, a few months before his death. It goes like 'Once I went to the land of China, Those whom I had not met, Put the mark of friendship on my forehead, Calling me their own."
Prof Dong Youchen is one of the persons who played an important role behind why still today Tagore remains very close to Chinese hearts.
Talking to UNB, Prof Youchen said he felt greatly about Rabindranath and his works while studying at the Rabindra-Bharati University (D. Litt).
 

 

 Suu Kyi 'avoided' discussion of Rohingya rape during UN meet

Human Rights Report:
Aung San Suu Kyi avoided discussing reports of Rohingya women and girls being raped by Myanmar troops and police when she met a senior UN official, according to an internal memo seen by the Guardian.
Pramila Patten, the special envoy on sexual violence in conflict, travelled to the country for a four-day visit in mid-December to raise the crisis with government officials.
But she said Aung San Suu Kyi, a state counsellor in the Myanmar government, refused to engage in "any substantive discussion" of reports that soldiers, border guard police and Rakhine Buddhist militias carried out "widespread and systematic" sexual violence in northern Rakhine state.
"The meeting with the state counsellor was a cordial courtesy call of
approximately 45 minutes that was, unfortunately, not substantive in nature," she wrote in a letter sent to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres last week. More than 655,000 Rohingya, members of a persecuted and stateless Muslim minority, have fled to Bangladeshi refugee camps since violence began in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state in August. Médecins Sans Frontières believes at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed during "clearance operations" ostensibly targeting militants, while many survivors say women and girls were gang-raped.
Instead of discussing the claims directly, Patten said Aung San Suu Kyi informed her she would enjoy "a number of good meetings" with senior Myanmar officials. During these meetings, she was told by representatives of the military and civilian government that reports of atrocities were "exaggerated and fabricated by the international community".
 

1st-ever RMG unit in Prison opens
 

Human Rights Report:
Country's first ever mini-garment factory, set up in Narayanganj District Jail to facilitate income-generating activities, was inaugurated on Wednesday morning. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal formally opened the Resilience Garments Industry and Jamdani Production Center inside the jail at around 11:00am.
The garment factory was built on 5,000 square feet of area with the help of the district administration and the Department of Social Services. The milestone initiative will facilitate the prisoners to earn money employing their labour while serving jail term and to learn skills.
Some 300-400 prisoners trained by Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) will be able to work in the mini-garment factory in two shifts, said Narayanganj Jail Superintendent Subhas Kumar Ghosh.
The earnings of the prisoners will be credited in their respective accounts. They can send the money to their families or withdraw the entire amount together while leaving the jail, he said. Earlier on May 30 last, work on the garment factory was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Rabbi Miah.
While opening a display and sale centre for the jail products at the jail gate, he also laid the foundation stone of a training and rehabilitation centre inside the jail.
A total of 57 machines, including sewing and embroidery ones imported from abroad, were installed in the factory, said the Jail Super. There is a plan to import the fabrics to produce garments in the jail as well as other handicrafts he said.
The jail authorities have also taken some other initiatives to create income generating activities for the prisoners and to rehabilitate them.
As part of the initiative, six looms have already been installed inside the jail where 12 prisoners are working for producing Jamdani fabrics while 20-25 are producing bed sheets.
DC Rabbi Miah in a recent programme said the mini-garment factory would be a milestone as the prisoners will get a means to pass their time in a good wayand to earn at the same time.

 

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