NHRC demands teeth

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman yesterday called upon the government to take steps to make the commission's independence real.

"Mere creation of an institution like the National Human Rights Commission maybe is not enough. The commission needs support to ensure its freedom," he told a programme in the capital's Cirdap auditorium.

"The National Human Rights Commission has to be given at least 16 teeth, if not 32, so that we can bite from time to time," he said, drawing the government's attention through Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, chief guest at the programme.

He made the comments seeking more power for the commission before adopting NHRC's second five-year strategic plan (2016-2020).

At the programme, the NHRC boss presented a draft of the plan for discussion by the government and non-government stakeholders working to protect and promote human rights.

It will be finalised after inclusion of stakeholders' recommendations.

Like the first strategic plan (2010-2015), the new plan's goal is to "ensure the rule of law, social justice, freedom and human dignity through promoting and protecting human rights".

Shirin Sharmin, who spoke just before the NHRC chairman, said the commission was working in a free environment without interference from any quarters.

NHRC needs to investigate why human rights violation is going on; it should not only identify the problems and violations but also find the ways out, she said.

Robert D Watkins, the United Nations resident coordinator in Bangladesh, expressed his concern over the rising trend of brutality against women and children and the killing of bloggers.