NHRC needs to play its due role

Law Minister Anisul Huq has said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has to play an adequate role in preventing human rights violations in the country.

"The government has identified domestic abuse and sexual harassment as very heinous crimes. Such crimes cannot be prevented only by formulating laws and enhancing punishments. People have to raise their voice and the National Human Rights Commission has to play an adequate role in this regard. Then the violation of human rights will of course be prevented," he said.

The minister was addressing a discussion, organised virtually by the NHRC on the occasion of Human Rights Day 2020, on Thursday evening.

Anisul said the government would not compromise on any incident of human rights violation even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government has taken necessary steps to stop crimes, including domestic abuse and sexual harassment, he added.

The minister said the NHRC is responsible for conveying the incidents of human rights violations to the government for necessary actions.

"The National Human Rights Commission can play a role of check and balance in this regard. If the government doesn't take any step against an offence, the commission itself will take appropriate legal actions."

The government must take necessary action against any incident of human rights violation if it is conveyed, said Anisul.

Mentioning that the country would have an anti-discrimination law next year, he said the government was working on formulating the law to prevent discrimination against people and it was now at the final stage.

The minister said the government has given stimulus of $4.14 billion to different sectors to face the challenges of lives and livelihoods posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government has arranged Covid-19 testing free of cost and will take steps to provide vaccines to the people for free on a priority basis, he added.

UNDP Resident Representative Sudipto Mukherjee, among others, also spoke at the programme, chaired by NHRC Chairman Nasima Begum.