The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rajshahi Correspondent

The four convicted teachers of the Rajshahi University teachers were released yesterday from the Rajshahi central jail as they were pardoned by the president.

Family members and hundreds of University students received the teachers-Moloy Kumar Bhoumik of Management department, Dulal Chandra Biswas, Sayed Selim Reza Newton and Abdullah Al Mamun of Mass Communication department--at the gate of Rajshahi Central Jail around 3.50pm.

The jail authorities received the mercy petition along with the Presidential clemency at noon. The released teachers returned to the university campus at 4.20pm.

Earlier, President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed granted pardons to the four teachers under Article 49 of the Constitution as the wives of the four university teachers, in a joint letter, on Sunday evening appealed for the release of their husbands.

Article 49 reads: "The President shall have power to grant pardons, reprieves and respites and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority."

Adviser for Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Information Barrister Mainul Hosein told journalists that the services of the four released teachers would continue, as they were not sacked.

"The Caretaker Government decided to release them taking the mercy petition signed by their wives positively," he said, adding, "The Government expects that the released teachers would now perform their duty sincerely."

On December 4, a speedy trial court of Rajshahi sentenced the four Rajshahi University teachers to two years' rigorous imprisonment each for violating the Emergency Powers Rules (EPR) 2007 by bringing out a silent procession on the campus on August 21.

The court also fined the four teachers Tk 1,000 each.

Khandaker Fardous Ahmed, the then officer-in-charge of Motihar police station, filed a case against six teachers on August 26 on charge of violating the Emergency Power Rules by bringing out the procession and instigating student protests on the campus.

Two other accused of the case-former Rajshahid University Vice Chancellor Prof M Saidur Rahman Khan and Syndicate member and Convenor of University Progressive Teachers' Association Prof M Abdus Sobhan-were acquitted by the Court and both the teachers were released from Rajshahi Central Jail on December 4.

Following the student protest at Dhaka University on August 20 that began with the manhandling of some DU students by Army men at the university playground, a few Rajshahi University teachers brought out the silent procession on the campus on August 21, protesting the previous day's police attack on the Dhaka University students.

The students of Rajshahi University called a strike the next day (August 22). A rickshaw-puller was killed in violence on that day, around 200 people, including students, police and journalists were injured, vehicles were torched and property, including the Vice Chancellor's residence damaged during the daylong clashes between police and students in and around the Rajshahi University campus.

The law enforcers arrested Prof Saidur Rahman Khan, Prof Dr Abdus Sobhan and Prof Moloy Kumar Bhowmik on August 24 while Assistant Professors of Mass Communication department Dulal Chandra Biswas, Sayed Selim Raza Newton and Abdullah Al Mamun surrendered before the Court on September 5.

After investigation, police submitted charge sheet against the six teachers on September 2.

The released teachers demanded the release of all students, who were arrested on the same charge.

Prof Moloy Kumar Bhoumik, after his release, expressed his gratitude to the Government for being set free. "I am congratulating the Government as they have taken a good decision after a few days," he said.

Prof Dulal Chandra Biswas thanked the President for the clemency.

Selim Reza Newton said they were feeling very good after the release.

Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University Prof M Altaf Hossain expressed his happiness over the release of his teachers.

"I am the happiest person after the release of four of my colleagues," he said, expressing gratitude to the President and the Caretaker Government.

In another case of burning the motor vehicle of DGFI two more teachers of Rajshahi University Prof Golam Sabbir Satter Tapu and Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan Sajal of the department of Geology and Mass communication along with one officer of Press information department and some 30 students have been implicated. The proceedings of the case has also been finished and December 12 has been fixed as the date of delivering the judgment of the case.

Ramiz Khan

The remains of Birshreshtha Sipahi Mohammad Hamidur Rahman were finally brought back to his beloved country yesterday with due respect and solemnity after long 36 years into his martyrdom during a battle with Pakistani occupation forces.

Youngest among the seven Birshreshthas, the Liberation War hero will be laid to rest today at Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard at Mirpur in the capital with full state honour.

Hamidur's remains will be brought to the National Parade Square in Dhaka by road today. Starting at 6:00am from Comilla, a vehicle of the military police will reach Tejgaon Old Airport at 10:30am.

The remains will be transported through the city in a ceremonial motorcade.

President Iajuddin Ahmed, also the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, will receive the remains of Birshreshtha Hamidur on behalf of the nation and place wreath on the coffin. Members of the three services will present a guard of honour. Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and other Advisers will attend the programme.

"A 21-gun salute will herald the arrival of the remains," Abul Kasem Mahbubul Alam, secretary of Liberation War Affairs Ministry, said. After a namaz-e-janaza, the remains of Hamidur will be carried to the Intellectuals' Graveyard at Mirpur in a ceremonial motorcade and will be laid to eternal rest just opposite to Birshreshtha Motiur Rahman.

Hamidur embraced martyrdom in a gunfight while attacking a base of the Pakistani forces on the Dholoi border in Sylhet on October 28 in 1971. He is one of the seven warriors, who were posthumously conferred Birshreshtha, the country's highest gallantry award, for their role during the War of Independence.

After the remains of Birshreshtha Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman were brought back on June 24 last year from Pakistan, the freedom fighters and family members of Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman urged the government to take steps for bringing back his remains.

Earlier, the remains of valorous martyred freedom fighter were brought through Bibirbazar land port in Comilla from the neighbouring Indian state of Tripura by road at 2:21pm. Thousands of people as well as military and civil officials of both countries were present at that time.

Earlier, the remains of Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman were brought at the 'zero point' of the Indian side of the border by a car of Tripura Rifles from Agartala Circuit House at about 2:14pm, where Acting Commander of 19 BSF Sree Wasni Yogi placed wreath on the coffin. Afterward, a smartly turned out contingent of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) led by 11 Battalion Assistant Commander Sree RSK Saxena presented a guard of honour and the remains were handed over to Acting Commander of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) in Comilla Lt Col Noor-e-Alam at about 2:40pm.

Receiving the coffin, a smartly turned out contingent of BDR presented guard of honour to Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman at the border. Led by Havilder Afaz Uddin, driver Keramat Ullah of a pick-up van (Kurigram-11-0005) of BDR drove the coffin to a short distance. At about 3:00pm, Major Md Lutful Hasan received the coffin on behalf of the Commander of 34 Bengal Regiment of Bangladesh Army and wrapped the coffin with the national flag. At 3:05pm, a team of Bangladesh Army led by Mofazzal and Khairul picked up the coffin on their shoulders and kept the remains on 'Tiger Minor,' a well decorated podium. Behind the podium there was a large portrait of Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman. At about 3:13pm, Area Commander of 33 Infantry Division, Comilla Major General Abdul Hafiz, psc placed wreath on the coffin and a team of the Bangladesh Army presented a guard of honour there. They stood in solemn silence as the bugle played.

At 3:16pm a brief life-sketch of Birshreshta Hamidur Rahman was read out by Army officer Lt Col Md Shafiqul Huq Chowdhury. At 3:22pm Moulana Zakir Hossain conducted a munajat seeking blessings of the Almighty Allah for the eternal peace of the departed soul. Later, Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Hosayn Jamil, Noor-e-Alam on behalf of the freedom fighters, Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Md Manzurur Rahman, Police Super Shahidul Islam and other noted persons placed wreaths on the coffin paying their profound respect to the memory of Birsreshta.

At 3:37pm another contingent of Bangladesh Army put the coffin on a military vehicle carrying it from the podium. Later, a contingent of military police took the coffin to Mainamati Cantonment parading main thoroughfares in Comilla town. At that time, thousands of students of schools and colleges, teachers and people paid their deep respect waving the national flag.

Earlier, when the remains of Birshreshta Hamidur Rahman were brought at 'zero point' in the Indian side of the border at about 2:14pm, Sonamura sub-division administrator Anindtya Bhattacharya, Sonamura Panchayet chief Shyamal Chakravarty on behalf of the Tripura state government and leaders of different local organizations placed wreath on the coffin.

According to reports from India, the Tripura government yesterday formally handed over the remains of Hamidur to the Joint Secretary of Liberation War Affairs Ministry Humayun Kabir Khan.

A seven-member Bangladesh delegation led by Humayun left for Tripura on Friday to bring back the remains of the valiant war hero who was buried at East Roypara in Hatimarachara town of Dholoi district in Tripura.

Meanwhile, receiving the remains of Birshreshtha Sipahi Mohammad Hamidur Rahman 36 years after the independence, his younger brother Fazlur Rahman turned emotional yesterday.

"Inhabitants of Khorda Khalishpur including me and my family members now feel proud," Fazlur Rahman told The New Nation while handing over the remains of the Birshreshta at the zero point of Bangladesh-India border yesterday.

The 35-year-old Fazlur Rahman, who was among the seven-member Bangladesh delegation that went Tripura on Friday to bring back the remains of the valiant war hero, said, "We're proud receiving the remains of my brother 36 yaers after the independenece."

Expressing regrets, he said despite repeated requests to the previous governments by his mother Kaisun Nesa to bring the remains of her son back home, no governments pay any heed to their requests. "However, though the present caretaker government made sincere initiatives to bring back the remains of my brother, my mother's last wishes had remained unfulfilled. My mother had dreamt to bury the remains of her son on the soil of this country bringing back from India. Though the caretaker government fulfuilled that dream, my mother could not see the remains as she died on February 21, 2005," he said.

Fazlur Rahman said the government had been providing them Tk 5,000 as honarium over the last three years.

Replying to a question, he said they used to some grants on the Independence Day and Victory Day in the past.

He, however, said the government had built a pucca house for them in 1981.

Fazlur Rahman also expressed his deep gratitude to those who had made great efforts to bring his brother's remains back to the homeland.

Staff Reporter

Rescue operation at Rangs Bhaban is yet to be started on safety grounds although four persons were killed and at least a dozen people feared trapped inside.

Amin Mohammad Foundation, a construction firm, was appointed by Rajuk yesterday to bring the Rangs Bhaban at safe condition so that the Fire Service and Civil Defence could launch the rescue operation.

Visiting the Rangs Bhaban yresterday morning, this correspondent found that workers appointed by Amin Mohammad Foundation were placing steel-made props underneath the collapsed ceilings of the Rangs Bhaban.

Officials of the Amin Mohammad Foundation said they were trying to ensure safety of the Rangs Bhaban free of cost. "We're trying to ensure the safety of the building so threat it could not collapse further," an official of the construction firm said.

The official said as many as 20,000 steel props would be installed underneath the collapsed ceilings.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence officials said they would start the rescue operation only after the construction company declared the building safe. "Otherwise, we will not send our people inside the building," an official said.

Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Rafiqur Rahman told reporters on Sunday that they were looking for some safer means to rescue the victims and clear the debris.

However, the day labourers appointed by Amin Mohammad Foundation alleged that they had to work in darkness round-the-clock as there was no arrangement for light inside the building.

"We're working day and night in total darkness risking our live. We're working with the fear of death. Each of us is given Tk 100 only for every day. If we die the owner will not give a penny to our families. They will also not give a penny if anyone of us is injured," a day labourer said.

The ceilings--from the 14th storeyed to the 4th storeyed of the building collapsed as the 22-storeyed Rangs Bahban caved in on Saturday night, leaving four people dead and minimum a dozen of people, mainly construction workrs injured.

At least a dozen people are feared trapped inside. Fire Service and Civil Defence has so far rescued 12. Of them, one died at the city's Orthopaedic Hospital on Sunday and the rest were undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

On the other hand, relatives of the construction workers who died in the Rangs Bhaban collapse on Saturday night alleged that they were yet to receive the bodies of their near and dear one although two days were already passed after the tragic accident.

Meanwhile, the government has formed a three-member committee headed by Rajuk's Chief Engineer Shah Alam to probe the incident. The two other members are Rajuk's deputy chief engineer and a teacher of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

The Rangs Bhaban authorities at a press briefing earlier blamed the collapse on negligence of the Rajuk authorities.

They alleged that Rajuk had appointed a ship-breaking firm for partial demolition of the multi-storey building.

Rajuk Executive Engineer Anwar Hossain, however, denied the allegations.

Al-Amin

The guest birdless Jahangirnar University campus is disappointing hundreds of enthusiastic bird watchers, specially those who are coming on the campus from far and near to enjoy the panoramic view of the wild fowls floating majestically on the lakes.

The Jahangirnagar University (JU) is known as the lone residential university in the country that prides itself of a large number of lakes and bushes providing safe sanctuary to the birds fleeing the freezing cold of the Siberian winter.

Every year in the winter season, the migratory birds come here from far off Siberia and other cold countries seeking refuge in the warmer climate of Bangladesh.

With about 15 small and large lakes, the campus presents a congenial environment for the migratory birds. Pankowri, heron, soraly, ducks and many more other nameless birds descend on the campus and live on little fish, insects and snails. This year they came a little earlier in the winter season but did not stay. After a few days they flew away for unknown reason.

It is alleged that these birds are not fully free from the searching look of hunters. Miscreants kill a huge number of guest birds, but the university authorities have not taken any step to protect the birds. Also there has never been any organisational effort to provide food or security to these birds.

Ornithologists of the Zoology department of the university thought that the congregation of huge number of students during the admission test, scarcity of food, insufficient water and the wastes of transport workshop within the university are mainly responsible for shooing off the birds.

M Enam Al Hoque, a prominent ornithologist of the country told this correspondent "environmental pollution, destroying of bio-diversity, scarcity of food and the destruction of the habitat of guest birds are the main causes of the absence of birds".

He also alleged that despite the strong restriction on hunting guest birds by law, the winter migratory birds are not completely safe from poachers.

Hoque also wants to see the implementation of the law to protect the migratory birds, which beautify the natural environment of the country and pleases the nature lovers.

Staff Reporter

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday emphasised the need for eliminating poverty to ensure human dignity and justice for all.

"Poverty has both cause and effect linkages to continued violation of human rights, it also stands as the biggest obstacle to promoting human dignity and justice. Elimination of poverty thus remains an indispensable precondition for ensuring human dignity and justice for all," he said while addressing a function at Osmani Memorial Hall in the city.

The Chief Adviser regretted that many economically and socially disadvantaged people still do not have access to justice to vindicate their rights, over three decades after the country's independence.

"They are often deprived of basic legal and other institutional services, which put them in a situation of vulnerability where their entitlement to fundamental rights, dignity and justice is compromised," he said.

The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, in collaboration with the UNDP, organised the function in observance of the International Human Rights Day-2007.

Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Information Barrister Mainul Hosein, Adviser for Foreign Affairs Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Coordinator of UN system in Bangladesh and UNDP resident representative Renata L Desallien and Law Secretary Kazi Habibul Awal also addressed the function.

Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said it is commonly recognised today that human dignity and human rights are indivisible and inter-dependent, and universality of human rights demands eradication of global inequalities.

"Effective empowerment of the people through human development by ensuring dignity and justice for all is an important aim of any legal system which is fully committed to human rights," he said.

He mentioned that the Constitution of Bangladesh in its preamble provides that it shall be a fundamental aim of the State to realise through a democratic process a society in which the rule of law, fundamental rights, freedom, equality and justice--political, economic and social - will be secured for all citizens.

The Chief Adviser said that his government's visions and approaches are to ensure dignity and justice for all.

He said the caretaker government is implementing various programmes aimed at protecting and promoting human rights, good governance, poverty alleviation, human resource development and access to justice to ensure human dignity and justice for all.

Referring to the different steps taken by his government including giving approval of an ordinance for setting set up National Human Rights Commission, establishment of fully independent judiciary, a reconstituted Election Commission, independent Anti-Corruption Commission, recast Public Service Commission and formation of the Regulatory Reforms Commission he said the steps would strengthen the foundations of democracy in the country.

"We firmly believe that respect for human rights, rule of law and good governance can create the framework within which development efforts and human dignity can be achieved and sustained," he said.

The Chief Adviser said human dignity lies at the very core of fundamental human rights, which have been emphasised in the Charter of the United Nations, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in international human rights instruments and in many national constitutions including our own.

Quoting from the former UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, he said, "Full human dignity means not only freedom from torture, but also freedom from starvation. It means freedom to vote, as it means the rights to education. It means freedom of belief, as it means the rights to health. It means the right to enjoy all rights without discrimination".

He said the Universal Declaration spells out these rights as basic human rights, many of which were given the force of law in the two main international covenants on human rights, adopted in 1966 and entered into force in 1976.

BSS, Dhaka

Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday stressed need for adopting a more coordinated approach in carrying out relief operation among the cyclone victims and urged all concerned including the aid volunteers to gear up their activities in the remote areas to ensure the succors reaching the affected people.

"We have been observing that individuals and organisations are distributing relief materials only in the areas where they can easily reach with various transports and as a result the people of the remotest areas are getting lesser support," he said while receiving relief materials including cash from different organisations and individuals at Dhaka Cantonment.

He assured the donors that their contribution, both cash and kinds, would go to the real sufferers and all money would be used for their well being. Any portion of the money will not even be spent for transportation of the relief materials, he said.

'We would not spend the donated money only for distributing relief materials rather we like to undertake some construction schemes in the cyclone hit areas for rehabilitation of the affected people', he said. Referring to the government's allocation of Taka 10,000 for every cyclone affected family, General Moeen said the amount is not enough to cope with the situation and urged all to come forward in helping the affected people build their damaged houses in the southwest coastline in the country.

'We will bring the fishermen, who had lost their nets and boats, under cooperative so that they can again go back to the sea for fishing, he said and added that the initiatives have already been started'.

Describing his experience of visiting the affected areas in Sharankhola, the Army Chief said the cyclone had destroyed all mosques and temples in the area, but reconstruction of the religion institutions are yet to be taken place.

He said army officers have taken a decision for donating their one-day salary for construction of damaged mosques in Sharonkhola.

He expressed the hope that every organisation will take similar steps to build schools, colleges or houses in the cyclone affected areas to help victims return to normal life soon.

He said the officers and the troops deployed in cyclone-hit areas would not return until the affected people were rehabilitated properly.

"I would like to say the people of the country that the Bangladesh Army is your army which stands beside you and we are ready to face any kind of difficulties to rehabilitate the cyclone survivors . . . we just need your encouragement," he said.

Forty-five organisations and individuals yesterday donated nearly Taka 3.92 crore in cash and various kinds of relief goods to the Army's relief fund.

The donors comprise Bangladesh Textile Mills Association Taka 50 lakh, Rahim Steel Mills Company Ltd., National Bank, Social Investment Bank and IFIC Bank Taka 25 lakh each, Orient Overseas Container Line Taka 20.7 lakh, TATA Group and Navana Group Taka 20 lakh each, NTV Taka 7.2 lakh, Padma Islami Life Insurance, Pragati Insurance, TK Group of Industries Chittagong, EBA Group, Rosh Bangladesh, NCC Bank and Summit Group Taka 10 lakh each, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) Taka 9.62 lakh, Bangladesh Chemical and Perfumery Merchant Association, Pink City Gulshan, Apex Spinning and Knitting Mills ltd., Apex Food Ltd. and KDS Garments Chittagong Taka 5 lakh each, Islampur Cloth Merchant Association Group-1 Taka 7 lakh and 3000 pieces of saree and group-2 Taka 8 Lakh, Mercantile Bank Taka 6 lakh, Korean Minting and Printing and Bangladeshi Expatriate in Qatar Abu Taleb 10,000 US dollar each, Bangladesh Paints, Dyes and Chemicals Merchant Association Taka 4 lakh each, Bangladesh Polymer Importer Association and Bangladesh Paper Importer Association Taka 3 lakh each, Dhaka Cantonment Ladies Club Taka 2.8 lakh, the Optimist 3,000 US dollar, Baridhara Society Taka 2.5 lakh and Kurmitola Golf Club Taka 3.6 lakh.

Besides, Siemens Bangladesh donated 20 water purification units, those have already been sent to the affected areas, while Arla Foods Denmark gave 2000 pieces of blanket and milk products.

The Prime Bank handed over 50 laptop computers to the Army Chief for preparing voter and national identity card on the occasion.

After receiving the donations, General Moeen U Ahmed gave Taka 36,000 from the Army Relief Fund to a cyclone affected Dhaka university student M Nurul Islam for his one-year education expense.

The Army Chief donated the money in response to a request from Nurul's father M Yusuf Ali of Southkhali village in Sharankhola upazila of Bagherhat district. He made the request during the Army Chief's visit to the area.

Court Correspondent

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka yesterday received the first information reports (FIRs) of two separate cases filed against former Prime Ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina and 10 others and ordered the Investigation Officer (IO) to submit investigation report on January 10, 2008.

The cases filed on Sunday with Tejgaon thana in the city by two Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officials.

ACC Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan sued Sheikh Hasina and her co-accused for deal with Niko, which caused a loss of Tk 13,630 crore to the Government exchequer, while ACC Assistant Director Mahbubul Alam filed the other case against Begum Zia and her co-accused for causing a loss to the tune of Tk 10,000 crore to the public exchequer.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Robbani yesterday passed the order to submit the investigation reports.

Meanwhile, The ACC yesterday said there was no high-level pressure in filing the cases against former Prime Ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina for their alleged involvement in awarding deals to Niko.

"The ACC is free from pressure. The Commission is not working under anybody's influence," ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal said during the Commission's regular press briefing yesterday afternoon when his comments were sought on a report by a leading daily suggesting that the anti-graft body was under high-level pressure to file the cases.

He said the Commission has no such agenda and it was not working to appease a particular individual or quarter. "The ACC is working as per own schedule maintaining its independence, self-governance and neutrality," he added.

"The ACC is conducting inquiries and investigations and filing cases aiming to gain state interests and establish corruption-free good governance," Col Hanif said.

He said in no way the Commission was working being motivated by the so called conspiracy formula or intention.

Asked if the cases filed against Khaleda, Hasina and 10 others on Sunday would be brought under the Emergency Power Rules, 2007, Col Hanif said if in the legal framework it were necessary the Commission would bring the cases under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).

Asked if the accused would be questioned in connection with the cases, he said whatever required would be done for the sake of the investigation.

When asked if it has been proved in the inquiries that two former Prime Ministers have financially benefited, Col Hanif said it was the matter for the Court to decide.

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Justice Ruhul Amin Monday said only an independent judiciary is able to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the individuals by dispensing justice impartially in strict adherence to the law.

"Human rights are the rights which humans should enjoy and the State have positive duty to safeguard their enjoyments and negative duties not to deny them," he said at a symposium marking the 59th anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration by the United Nations. The United Nations Association of Bangladesh (UNAB) organised the symposium at Hotel Purbani on Monday afternoon. The chief justice said for this essential task to be fulfilled effectively and efficiently, the public must have full confidence in the ability of the judiciary to carry out its functions in an independent and impartial manner.

Chief Justice Ruhul Amin said there is no denying that whenever this confidence begins to erode, neither the judiciary as an institution nor individual judges will be able to fully perform this important task, or at least will not easily be seen to do so.

Consequently, the principle of independence of judges has not been invented for the personal benefits of the judges themselves but has been created to protect human beings against abuses of power. Terming the recent judiciary separation from the executive as a new historical phase, the chief justice said both the judiciary as an institution and also the individual judges deciding particular cases must be able to exercise their professional responsibilities without being influenced by external forces or any other inappropriate sources.

The Chief Justice said a legal system based on respect for the rule of law also needs strong, independent and impartial prosecutors willing strongly to investigate and prosecute suspected crimes committed against human beings, even if these crimes have been committed by persons acting in official capacities. "Unless judges and prosecutors play their respective key roles to the full in maintaining justice in society, there is a serious risk that a culture of impunity will take deep root, thereby widening the gap between the population in general and the authorities." Among others, the function was also addressed by Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam and UNAB president Prof Mozaffar Ahmed.

Staff Reporter

Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Information Barrister Mainul Hosein yesterday said Bangladesh and the international community failed to focus on making democracy work while being critical about allegations of violation of human rights.

Addressing a function organised by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs in observance of the International Human Rights Day-2007 at Osmani Memorial Hall he said the present caretaker Government has taken an unprecedented responsibility to restore democracy and make it durable.

"After 36 years of the emergence of Bangladesh as a democratic country, the democracy could not sustain itself," he regretted.

The Law Adviser, however, said the failure is not ours alone as protecting and promoting democracy for upholding human rights is not just a national obligation but also international.

He expressed his satisfaction over the government initiative for establishing Human Rights Commission to strengthen the democratic foundation of the country.

"The Commission will be independent to look into and deal with instances of violation of human rights," he said.

Emphasising the need for making democracy sustainable Barrister Mainul Hosein said, "The stark lesson we have learnt is that election itself is no democracy."

"We expect due importance to be attached by the friends of democracy both at home and abroad when we say that our determination is not only to hold elections but to make democracy sustainable for honest government and better protection of human rights," he said.

The Law Adviser said Bangladesh, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, remains engaged in constructive dialogues with international community in advancing cause of human rights. "Bangladesh is committeed to the principles of sustainable peace in the world," he said.

Decades after the adoption of the human rights convenants, he said the world has yet a long way to go before it becomes free from serious violation of human rights and human dignity is held high everywhere.

"In some parts of the world still human rights are more flagrantly violated than others. Some of the rich and powerful states appear not ready yet to give up might is right attitude of the olden days," he said.

The Adviser, however, said the greatest achievement of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is that no country big or small can avoid universal condemnation for violation of human rights.

He said the Constitution of Bangladesh embodies the principles of the UDHR as the fundamental rights for all.

"The preamble of the Constitution proclaims that it shall be a fundamental aim of the state to realise through democratic process a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human right and freedom, equality and justice will be ensured for all

He said the framers of the Constitution made it abundantly clear that unless the democratic process is secure, human rights cannot be secure.