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Inform cops about any suspicious acts: PM 

 

Human Rights Report
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on 24 April 2019 called on the people to stand against extremism and inform law enforcement agencies about any suspicious act to avert any untoward incident in Bangladesh.
'I urge the people that they just inform the law enforcement agencies about any suspicious movement in the country. We do not want any terror incident anywhere in the world,' she said while responding to a supplementary question from ruling Awami League lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Sarker.
The prime minster said the extremists did not have any religion or country.
'A militant is a militant, a terrorist is a terrorist. They have no religion, no country,' she said, adding that her government controlled extremism and bombing in Bangladesh with an iron fist.
Hasina came up with the remarks after a wave of blasts at churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday left over 300 people killed and about 500 injured.
Some 40 children, including Zayan Chowdhury, grandson of her cousin and Awami League leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, were killed in the coordinated bomb attacks on three churches and four hotels in Colombo, claiming a total of 321 lives.








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BHRC & IHRC Human Rights Report on April 2019 in Bangladesh

Total 197 persons killed in April 2019

Human Rights Report:

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on 24 April 2019 called on the people to stand against extremism and inform law enforcement agencies about any suspicious act to avert any untoward incident in Bangladesh.
'I urge the people that they just inform the law enforcement agencies about any suspicious movement in the country. We do not want any terror incident anywhere in the world,' she said while responding to a supplementary question from ruling Awami League lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Sarker.
The prime minster said the extremists did not have any religion or country.
'A militant is a militant, a terrorist is a terrorist. They have no religion, no country,' she said, adding that her government controlled extremism and bombing in Bangladesh with an iron fist.
Hasina came up with the remarks after a wave of blasts at churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday left over 300 people killed and about 500 injured.
Some 40 children, including Zayan Chowdhury, grandson of her cousin and Awami League leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, were killed in the coordinated bomb attacks on three churches and four hotels in Colombo, claiming a total of 321 lives.




 

HC issues rule for Road Transport Act 2018 implementation 

Human Rights Report:
The High Court issued a rule directing the authorities concerned to publish a gazette issuing directions for implementing the Road Transport Act 2018 which was legislated in wake of mass student protest over road safety last year.
The HC bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule Sunday (April 28) after hearing a writ petition.
"Why failing/inactivity of the defendants won't be declared illegal to publish the gazette for implementing the Road Transport Act 2018 and why directions won't be issued to publish the gazette making the law come into effect," asked the rule, as said by lawyer Monjil Morshed, a lawyer of the petitioners.
Secretaries to the cabinet, home, president's secretariat, prime minister's secretariat, public administration, legislative division, parliament affairs, and road transport and highways division were asked to reply the rule within two weeks. Human Rights & Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) Acting Secretary lawyer Sarwar Ahad Chowdhury, Supreme Court lawyer Eklas Uddin Bhuiyan and lawyer Ripon Baroi filed the writ plea April 28.
On April 10, eight government secretaries were served legal notice to issue the same gazette within seven days.
Meanwhile, six months have passed since issuing the gazette of Road Transport Act 2018 approval on October last year.
But, the government hasn't published a gazette to implement the law yet.
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Sudan protesters pledge
'million march' for civil rule
 
 

Human Rights Report:

Sudanese demonstrators shout slogans while cheering fellow protesters from the city of Atbara as their train arrives at the Bahari station in Khartoum on Tuesday. - AFP photo
Sudanese protest leaders raised the pressure on the country's army rulers on Wednesday, threatening a general strike and calling for a million-strong march to demand a civilian government.
The military council that took power after veteran president Omar al-Bashir was ousted earlier this month meanwhile called the rally leaders for more talks.
Siddiq Farouk, a protest leader, told reporters the demonstrators were 'preparing for a general strike' across the country if the army rulers refuse to hand power to a civilian administration.
He also said that a 'million-strong march' is planned, confirming a call by the Sudanese Professionals Association, the group that launched protests against Bashir in December.
Ahmed al-Rabia, a senior SPA leader, said the group was calling on 'a million (people to) march on Thursday'.
For the first time, Sudanese judges said they would join a sit-in outside army headquarters 'to support change and for an independent judiciary'.
The demonstrations began in the central town of Atbara on December 19 against a decision by Bashir's government to triple bread prices.
They swiftly turned into nationwide demonstrations against his rule and that of the military council that took his place.
The council, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan since his predecessor quit after barely 24 hours in the post, says it has assumed power for a two-year transitional period.
The protesters suspended talks with the council on Sunday over its refusal to transfer power immediately.
The military council said it had invited the protest leaders to another meeting on Wednesday evening at the presidential palace.
Thousands have camped outside the military headquarters in central Khartoum since before Bashir was deposed, and have vowed not to leave the area until their demands have been met.
The protesters have found support in Washington, which has backed their call for civilian rule.
'We support the legitimate demand of the people of Sudan for a civilian-led government, and we are here to urge and to encourage parties to work together to advance that agenda as soon as possible,' State Department official Makila James said on Tuesday.
'The people of Sudan have made their demand very clear,' she said.
'We want to support them in that as (it is) the best path forward to a society that is respectful of human rights, that respects the rule of law and that would be able to address this country's very serious issues,' she added.



 

 

Arakan Army in conflict with Myanmar military  

Barrister Harun ur Rashid

The UN Human Rights Office has voiced deep concern over escalating conflict between the Myanmar military and the rebel Arakan Army which has displaced several thousand Rohingyas within the country and many thousands to escape to Bangladesh.
The UN is disturbed by the intensification of conflict in recent weeks in Rakhine State and condemn what appear to be indiscriminate and attacks directed at civilians by the Myanmar military and armed fighters in the context of the ongoing fighting with the Rakhine Arakan Army, reportedly stated by Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Geneva.
In a press statement in recent days, Ms. Ravina reportedly said the conflict between Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army has given credible reports of killing of civilians, burning of houses, arbitrary arrests, abductions, indiscriminate fire in civilian areas and damage to cultural property.
In the most recent escalation reportedly on April 3, two military helicopters flew over Hpon Nyo Leik village tract to south Buthidaung fired on civilians tending cows and paddy fields, reportedly killing at least seven civilians and injuring 18 others. This attack was carried out in an area that has reportedly created large-scale displacement in recent days.
According to the UN, some 40,000 Rohingyas were displaced from the villages along the road connecting Buthidaung and Rathedaung towns between 25 March and 30 March. The displaced people fled westward and took shelter in areas including Npon Nyo Leik village tract. The UN reportedly called Myanmar military to immediately cease hostilities and to ensure that civilians were protected.
The international community is reportedly taking steps towards accountability for the crimes against its civilians which may constitute war crimes.
With each passing days as more and more Rohingyas are being made to leave India and Saudi Arabia for Bangladesh which is now having to accept more refugees than the country ever thought of. Saudi Arabia has sent more Rohingyas holding Bangladeshi passports, reportedly obtained illegally.
A group of Rohingyas, including 17 children and six women, were moored for five days in the no-man's land outside Brahmanbaria (Bangladesh) for attempting to enter Bangladesh. They were eventually returned put in jail custody in India.
Similarly the Saudi Arabia has recently deported 13 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, accusing them of holding Bangladeshi passports illegally. The Saudi government has also rounded up 150 refugees with the plan to deport them. Many of these refugees had been staying in the country for 6-7 years.
 
 

Case backlog has reached in critical state: CJ
 

Human Rights Report:
Expressing concern over the increasing number of cases in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on Sunday said "it can not go like this".
He passed this comment while hearing a case in the Appellate Division of the SC. The parties in the case were represented by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam on one side and former Attorney General A F Hassan Ariff on the other.
"There are so many cases pending in the Supreme Court that there are not sufficient rooms to keep the files. The situation is critical in one word and it can't go like this," the Chief Justice said.
The Supreme Court's Judicial Reform Committee in conjunction with German Development Co-operation Bangladesh (GIZ) on Saturday presented an audit report relating the resolution of case backlog and the administration of justice.
Chief Justice Hossain spoke about the issue of case backlog at the event in the Supreme Court auditorium.
On the report, the Chief Justice said, "I'm almost embarrassed by the findings of the audit report on Supreme Court cases. It cannot go on like this."
"I have decided to sit with all the justices of the Supreme Court. I will ask them to find a resolution."
 

Major parties ignore children in their election manifestos

Both political parties and alliances are very vote focused in their manifesto which is power. And that is why all attention is being paid to the adult voters. Not surprisingly, after years of advocacy, it's obvious that political parties are not very moved by the state of what has been promised and kept as far as children are concerned.
Although , Bangladesh has been "chided" at the UN Child Right Committee for the last five years for failing to finish the agenda promised, political parties that is current and future governments have not recognized children as priorities as per their electoral declarations. While Bangladesh has been quick to sign the dotted lines on many international protocols, they have been less active in keeping the commitments made on the same page.
Bangladesh has certainly made progress but the progress has always been measured in aggregate data and doesn't show how it affects two very vulnerable groups, women and children. While it's true that parties have made promises on improving the life of adult women, fact remains, one of the most at bay group are adolescent girls who suffer from some of the most difficult lives in Bangladesh compared to what has been possible to achieve. And Bangladesh is failing them.
Some major concerns
Some major issues have been pointed out by many agencies which fail to make any media noise. Malnutrition, early marriage and access to rights to education are safety are key issues that has been lost in the electoral noise.


 

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