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Published : 26 Jul 2025, 07:20 PM
Law Advisor Asif Nazrul says human rights must be built as a “cultural value rather than relying solely on legal frameworks”.
Speaking at a seminar titled “11th Human Rights Conference 2025”, organised by the Human Rights Support Society at Dhaka University’s Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium on Saturday, he said: “Human rights must be established as a culture; it cannot be achieved by laws alone. Everyone must develop this realisation. We need to purify ourselves.
“There must be transparency in every university. We must engage in self-criticism and self-purification. Only when we couple these with legal and institutional reforms can true change take place.”
He added, “First and foremost, we must fix the state’s three core branches -- the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. The problems in these branches must be solved first.
“Establishing the Information Commission, Human Rights Commission, or holding seminars and symposiums will be pointless if we leave the real problems untouched. We must strike at the core.”
Stating the establishment of human rights is a “major challenge”, he said: “Many believe human rights have been implemented in Europe and America. Yes, they have done it within their own countries, but globally, they are deeply involved in violating human rights.
"You know very well how they spread war in multiple countries, sell arms, and support tyrannical rulers who violate human rights. This remains a major global challenge.”
Speaking about authoritarianism, the advisor said: “When the fear of losing power disappears, a government can turn monstrous, as we’ve seen during the ‘fascist’ Awami League regime that took the lives of over 1,000 students and civilians. Thousands more suffered permanent disabilities.
“We’ve paid an unimaginably heavy price, and this calls for deep reflection and collective awareness. We must remain hopeful, but we must not be utopian,” he added.
Muhammad Ekramul Haque, dean of Dhaka University's Faculty of Law said at the event: “A lot is written on paper. But what we want is proper implementation.
“If human rights are violated, justice must come from the courts. But if we make the judiciary part of ‘fascism’, then no matter how noble our constitutional promises are, they will never be fulfilled. Judicial independence is intrinsically tied to human rights.”
He added, “Law-enforcing agencies play a crucial role in human rights enforcement. They must declare they won’t serve as a slave to any political party and will act according to the law.”
Ekramul said, “After the fall of authoritarian rule in 2024, the country has entered a rare moment of momentum. Now is the time to bring accountability and reform into governance based on the country’s realities.”
Family members of Ahmed Bin Kashem and Michael Chakma, victims of enforced disappearances during the Awami League regime; two people injured during the July Uprising; and the mothers of Naima Sultana and Shahriar Khan, who were killed during the uprising, spoke at the event.
Shahriar’s mother Sanjida Khan said, “We live in a state where human rights are violated in every sphere. Bullets bought with my tax money pierced my child’s chest.
“The country’s defence force became the executioner of my son. Our children took to the streets to protest these violations, only to face more human rights abuses. Perhaps there is no other country where the military becomes the killer of its own civilians.”
Enforced disappearance victim Michael said, “After I was picked up, my family and human rights activists searched for me in many places. Eventually, my family broke down mentally. My father collapsed and died.
“They (my family) even performed my last rites. How hopeless does a family have to be to conduct a funeral without a body?
He said, "I was eventually freed from that situation, but questions remain about what kind of future awaits Bangladesh?
“We are people of many ethnicities and identities living in Bangladesh. We must live in unity. I remain hopeful. I am still continuing the struggle to achieve my rightful demands.”
