Rights activists, lawyers and politicians on Saturday urged the interim government to form separate commissions to investigate the BDR Mutiny carnage in 2009, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh rally in 2013 and students-led mass uprising in July-August this year.
Addressing a dialogue in the city, they also demanded that the members of the police force, Rapid Action Battalion and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence who were involved in gross human rights violation, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, be identified and brought to justice.
鈥榃e urge the interim government to form commissions to investigate the killings perpetrated during the BDR mutiny, Hefazat rally and student-led mass uprising in July-August,鈥� Amar Bangladesh Party joint member secretary Md Asaduzzaman Bhuiyan said.
He said that the government should conduct fair investigations to collect evidence and ensure justice.
Non-governmental think-tank Centre for Governance Studies organised the dialogue on human rights for democratic reconstitution at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies auditorium.聽
The speakers also questioned the importance of RAB at this moment as the paramilitary force was allegedly involved in extrajudicial killings.
Nationalist Democratic Movement chairman Bobby Hajjaj called for RAB鈥檚 immediate disbanding, stating that law enforcement should be the responsibility of the police, while defence and border security should be handled by the military.
Jute and Textiles adviser retired Brigadier General M Sakhawat Hussain said that the DGFI was tasked with finding out the instances of indiscipline among forces, but the political governments used the agency in human rights violations.
鈥楾he interim government must provide a clear roadmap. Six commissions have already been formed, and politicians need to be part of these conversations to ensure that the reforms are sustainable,鈥� he added.
Noted human rights activist Nur Khan Liton urged the government to not only focus on recent human rights violations but to start discussions on violations dating back to 1972.
鈥榃e must preserve the sites of state abuse like torture cells and the 鈥淎ynaghar鈥� as historical evidence,鈥� he said.
Khan also called for immediate travel bans on government officials implicated in the past human rights abuses to prevent them from fleeing the country.
鈥極ver the last 15 years, more than 6,000 extrajudicial killings have occurred in Bangladesh. Those responsible must be brought to justice,鈥� Khan concluded by warning that the government鈥檚 failure to address these issues could result in further deterioration of the state.
Supreme Court lawyer Alena Khan expressed concern about the feasibility of achieving justice for the July revolution killings due to the weak First Information Reports being filed.
鈥楨ven if convictions happen in lower courts due to public pressure, there is a high chance that the accused will be acquitted in the higher courts,鈥� she added.
Gono Forum executive president advocate Subrata Chowdhury highlighted the importance of involving students in the reconstruction of the state, drawing historical parallels to previous political movements in Bangladesh.
鈥業f we cannot use the energy and power of our students in rebuilding the state, then we, as a nation, have failed,鈥� he said.
Maayer Daak co-founder Sanjida Islam Tulee urged the interim government to take concrete steps to address the issue of missing persons and criticised the lack of accountability for those involved in extrajudicial killings during the previous regime.
鈥楾he previous fascist regime denied the existence of such crimes. The National Human Rights Commission did nothing but send letters to the home ministry,鈥� she said.
Chairing the event, CGS chairman Munira Khan slammed the NHRC for its failure under previous governments.
鈥榃e must ensure that we do not fall into the hands of authoritarianism again,鈥� she added.
CGS executive director Zillur Rahman moderated the event while Kapaeeng Foundation executive director Pallab Chakma,聽 Gono Odhikar Parishad general secretary Rashed Khan and Jagannath University student leader Naima Akter Rita, among others, spoke at the event.
Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India on August 5 amid a mass uprising and the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus took oath on August 8.