State has failed to protect human rights: Sultana Kamal
She raises questions about the role of the government in protecting rights of ethnic communities
Eminent rights activist Sultana Kamal said it is the duty of the state to protect human rights irrespective of religion, caste and creed, but Bangladesh has failed to do so.
Pointing the finger at the government, she commented that if the state fails to protect the rights, then those who run the state must take responsibility for that failure.
"If torture, killing and land occupation of ethnic communities keep contining, then their entire lifetime will have to be spent in movements," she told a press conference jointly held by nine organisations at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka on Thursday.
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"In a civilised and democratic society, why do we have to hold a press conference to ask for the punishment of criminals and perpetrators," she told the programme organised to protest the murder of Narendranath Munda in Satkhira.
On 19 August, Narendranath Munda of the Munda ethnic community was injured in an attack by miscreants. He died the next day.
"We demand justice for the attack and murder. The state should make arrangements to compensate the people for the damage they have suffered," said the noted human rights activist.
Sultana Kamal said, "The recent attack on the Mundas was carried out in a very well-planned manner. The police were informed as soon as the incident happened but they did not stand by the victims."
Lambasting the role of the law enforcers, she said they are tired of condemning it time and again. "We want the police to look back on themselves. They could not come up with a solution in any of such incidents," she commented.
Sultana Kamal pointed out the attack on the Munda community in Satkhira is similar to other incidents across the country.
Sanjib Drong, general secretary at the Bangladesh Indigenous People's Forum, presented the keynote at the press conference.
At the press conference, a 9-point demand was put forward including the arrest and trial of the main culprits of Narendranath Munda's murder, compensation to his family and ensuring the safety of the Mundas.
