Celebration of World Human Rights Day’ 2021
On the occasion of World Human Rights Day’2021, Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO), organized a discussion session in a Hotel of Sylhet city. As per announcement of the United Nations (UN) ‘Equality-Reducing Inequalities, Advancing Human Rights’ is the subject matter of this event. The event was presided over by Faruque Mahmud Chowdhury, president of Human Rights Defenders Network, Sylhet, which was formed with the inspiration of ECDO in 2012.
Mentionable that the program was started followed by the welcome speech of Lakshmikanta Singh, Executive Director of ECDO and a presentation based on the occasion of this day was made by Murshida Rahman, Project Coordinator of ECDO. Professor Anwara Begum from Public Administration department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), and Advocate Bedananda Bhattachariya senior lawyer of Sylhet judge court were present as honorable guests in that program.
During the discussion, the speakers said that at present inequality among the people in the society is increasing day by day due to various reasons. As a result, the weaker portion of the society, specially the women, children and the religious minorities are constantly being victimized. Moreover, at present some people are trying to create various kinds of chaos in the society in the name of religion, which is contrary to the secular principle/ consciousness of the country. Therefore, in order to keep the non-communal consciousness among the mass people, it is needed to stand against the communal power in an organized manner.
The speakers strongly condemned the recent incidents of human rights violations across the country, especially the attacks and lootings of various temples during Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindu religions. They urged the government to ensure the rights of all religious minorities to live and practice their religion without any fear. The speakers also demanded that those who involved in all acts of communal incitement should be brought to justice immediately.
The speakers said that the common people of this country are not traditionally communal. Such this situation is being created in the country due to the propaganda of some extremist religious leaders. That is why there is a strong demand to shut down the YouTube channels which are spreading religious extremism through various social media.
Apart from the guests, Advocate Irfanuzzan Chodhury, Divisional Coordinator of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Professor Tahmina Akhter from Social Work Department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Advocate Sayeda Shirin Akhter, Divisioanl Head, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA), Md. Ikramul Kabir, ex-president of Sylhet press club, Abdul Alim Shah, Public Relation Officer of Sylhet City Corporation, Md. Sirajul Islam Ex-secretary Sylhet press club, Sayed Monir Helal cultural activist, Advocate Debobroto Chowdhury Liton, Advocate Nusrat Hasina Shampa, Cultural activist Rima Das, Social activist Aminul Amin also spoke on the occasion.
At the end of the meeting, the President called upon all to remain vocal from their respective positions for the establishment of human rights in the society.
