Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

Sunday 10 December is World Human Rights Day 2023. On this day in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. In 1950, the United Nations declared this day as World Human Rights Day. Since then, the day has been celebrated all over the world.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation, has always struggled to establish a society based on justice and equalityUnder his leadership, all internationally recognized human rights were guaranteed in the 1972 constitution of Bangladesh with the aim of establishing equality, justice and human dignity in the newly independent Bangladesh.

Our constitution is fully compatible with the universal human rights declared by the United NationsThe day is also being observed in Bangladesh through various programs. Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations on December 10 for the protection and development of human rights, this day is celebrated as 'World Human Rights Day' every year, every country and nation has some glorious day. Those days are observed as national and international days. And for these days, some month is observed as a month of great pride in the life of the country and nation. December is one such proud month of our life, December 16 is our Great Victory Day and December 25 is the great day of Christians.

Thunder Atuni Fosco Giro. The harder the law, the easier it is to break it. Laws are made as if for the pleasure of breaking them. World Human Rights Day is celebrated today in a grand ceremony in Bangladesh like other countries of the world due to this continuation of law breaking. The impact of human rights on the daily life of every person living in society, irrespective of men, women and children, is undeniable. Therefore, human rights preservation is found in the Babylonian king Hammarabi's Niyambali, the world's oldest law collection, from about 2288 to 2130 BC. It was said that all the citizens of Medina will enjoy equal rights in the Charter of Medina issued by Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) in the multi-religious society of Medina in the 7th century AD. The most important declaration in the present world is the 30 clauses of the main rights and fundamental freedoms. People from any part of the world can enjoy those rights and freedoms without any discrimination.

It should not be forgotten that Bangladesh occupies a very important place in the international context. And Bangladesh is not a begging country like before, its development has surprised everyone including the United States.

Bangladesh once again stood tall in the court of the world, a new feather was added to our crown. Recently, Bangladesh received the highest number of votes in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the next 2023-2025 term. This is a significant achievement for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's membership of the Human Rights Council was supported by representatives of 160 countries, which is very significant in the country's diplomatic history. Being elected as a member of the Human Rights Council by getting the highest number of votes is an expression of the international community's recognition of Bangladesh's continued efforts and commitment to the development and protection of human rights at the national and international levels. Bangladesh won the election by getting the highest number of 160 votes. Maldives received 154 votes, Vietnam received 145 votes, Kyrgyzstan received 126 votes, South Korea received 123 votes and Afghanistan received 12 votesBangladesh's victory nullifies the ongoing efforts to spread false information and propaganda to portray Bangladesh's human rights situation in a negative light to the world. The victory with a large number of votes is a great honor for Bangladesh and a relief for the Awami League government. The task of the United Nations Human Rights Council is to monitor the human rights situation of member countries around the world and make necessary recommendations. Bangladesh is now one of the countries responsible for monitoring the human rights situation in different countries.

Seven countries, including Bangladesh, are contesting against four vacant seats in the Asia and Pacific region of the Human Rights Council. However, one country, Bahrain, withdrew its candidature a few days ago. In the end Bangladesh, Maldives, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and South Korea were in the competition. Recently, the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States voted on this issue.

189 of the 193 member states of the United Nations voted. Apart from Bangladesh, Maldives, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan were selected from this region. Bangladesh has been elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the fifth time. Bangladesh was previously elected as a member of this organization of 47 members of the United Nations in 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2018.

The United Nations Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental organization. The responsibility of this organization is to protect and develop human rights worldwide. However, this victory is very significant amid the criticism of domestic and foreign rights groups and opposition parties including BNP on the human rights situation in Bangladesh.

In particular, the UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet recently visited Bangladesh and expressed concern about the human rights situation in Bangladesh. In addition, the United States has imposed sanctions against some RAB officials in Bangladesh for violating human rights. This victory will increase the image of Bangladesh and the current government in the international arena.
Bangladesh made 20 national level and 14 international level promises to the United Nations for human rights development. It is said that Bangladesh will strengthen and activate such organizations including the National Human Rights Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Election Commission, Public Works Commission and Information Commission.

The manifesto further states that a society will be built in Bangladesh where the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, equality and justice, political, economic and social rights will be secured for all citizens. Bangladesh constitution guarantees fundamental rights and political rights to every citizen. It also guarantees economic, political and socio-cultural rights. The government also raised the issue of providing shelter to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people.

As a democratic secular country, Bangladesh has signed 8 out of 9 UN human rights treaties. Government will strengthen and operationally activate such bodies including National Human Rights Commission, EC, ACC, PSC and Information Commission. They will be given adequate funding and manpower. As part of national and international responsibilities, a 'National Action Plan' will be prepared for the protection of human rights through discussions at the national level.

Sheikh Hasina's highest vote win in the United Nations is a reflection of world leaders' confidence in the government. The confidence of world leadership in Bangladesh's human rights record has been proven once again. The resettlement of Rohingya refugees has highlighted Bangladesh as a great example of human rights protection in the world.

In a densely populated country like Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set a great example in protecting human rights by showing this courage. Along with that, Bangladesh's strong belief in the UN peacekeeping mission has had a positive impact on foreign countries.
Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the human rights situation in Bangladesh nationally and internationally. A group continues to try to embarrass Bangladesh and its government in the international arena by spreading false information about human rights violations in Bangladesh.

There are no such incidents happening in Bangladesh which can be said that human rights are being violated in the country. Almost half of the list of disappearances and murders given to various countries and organizations in the name of human rights violations by a group has been proven wrong. Many of those reported lost have returned. Even a top BNP leader was rescued after being missing for quite some time. Therefore, those who shouted that human rights are being violated, did not succeed in their purpose. It is also true that the government has punished those who have died in police custody by arresting and prosecuting them.

Recently, Western countries have been accusing Bangladesh of human rights violations. However, the most significant cases of human rights violations in Bangladesh occurred between 2001-2006. The post-election violence of 2001 shocked sensible people.

A steamroller of torture was unleashed on many ordinary people for voting by boat. Many women were victims of gang rape. Such post-election violence was a gross violation of human rights, presented to the West as an entirely isolated political conflict. On August 21, 2004 and August 17, 2005, the entire country witnessed the heinous blueprint for killing leaders and workers of a traditional political party.
During the period of the current government, the country is not doing well, the country is not good, the human rights situation is not good, they try to create pressure in the outside world by presenting such statements and reports in the international arena. But on review it becomes clear that those who complain are doing it for personal, political or national interest.

Political parties are allowed to hold meetings with the permission of the law enforcement agencies. Despite many complaints by anti-government groups about freedom of expression, the country has a strong and vibrant media. 544 daily, 357 weekly, 62 fortnightly and 93 monthly newspapers are being published. There are 33 private television channels in operation, which openly discuss the policies and activities of the government.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government's humanitarian actions in various fields, including the Rohingya issue, have won widespread praise around the world. Where many human rights countries in the world stop short of crying for the Rohingya victims of human rights violations, Bangladesh has sheltered those 1.1 million Rohingya.

The latest report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights did not raise any concerns about Bangladesh. On the contrary, the incident of sheltering the minority Rohingya who fled to escape from the genocide and persecution of the military forces in Myanmar has also been highlighted. Through this, the humanity shown by Bangladesh by sheltering the endangered Rohingyas has been highlighted as a unique example in the international arena including the United Nations.

Bangladesh government has always been ahead in the field of democracy, human rights and justice. Since 2009, Bangladesh has been elected as a member of this council for the fifth time. This is a testament to the deep confidence of the international community in Bangladesh's contribution to the UN human rights system and our ability to fulfill the duties of the Council under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh pledges to work with all to strengthen UN leadership in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.

Finally, I would like to say that Human Rights Day is the most important day in the history of Bangladesh. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman rightly said in the General Session of the United Nations on 25 September 1974, 'Bangladesh's struggle is a symbol of the universal struggle for justice and peace. Therefore, it is natural that Bangladesh will stand by the oppressed people of the world from the beginning.'' His call is equally applicable todayAnd the present government formed the government in 1996 and took necessary steps to establish the rule of law and ensure human rights by ending the previous culture of impunity. In 1998, he prepared a draft law for the formation of a commission in this regardTherefore, after the re-formation of the government in 2009, we enacted the 'National Human Rights Commission Act, 2009' and accordingly established a full-fledged Human Rights Commission. The government has already increased the commission's manpower and budget allocation and other facilities to strengthen the commissionAnd the conscious community knows that democracy and human rights complement each other and make each other more prosperous. Just as human rights cannot be imagined without democracy, it is also strange to block the progress of a smooth-normal democracy by violating human rights. Yet human rights continue to be violated in many democratic countries in the developed world.

The declaration of human rights adopted on December 10, 1948 to ensure personal-social-political-economic-religious rights is facing a great threat worldwide today in the evolution of time. Human rights are considered a buzzword today. Some violent monstrous people who lack power are carrying out planned genocide and ethnic cleansing in various countries of the world to dominate. The Western world is constantly violating human rights in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen under the guise of so-called human rights. Millions of people in Syria and Yemen are reeling under the unbearable agony of hunger and famine. It is the peddlers of global humanity who are most engaged in taking away human rights. And release us from the chains of subjugation. On this day, a new sovereign country, Bangladesh, was created on the world map.

Which brings the Bengali nation the address of self-identification. People from all walks of the country will remember those martyrs who won this victory with their fresh blood. Even after 52 years of victory, the bleeding has not stopped. Bangladesh is moving forward with the dream of building Sonar Bangla. Everyone's pledge on this day of victory is to build a beautiful and prosperous world.

The writer is a Founder and Chairman, Jatiya Rogi Kalyan Society Human rights activist, researcher and columnist