Rights Groups Urged Politicians to Shun Confrontation through Dialogue

NGO News Desk :: 24 rights based civil society, labor and farmers’ organizations led by EquityBD urge the politicians to end the political confrontation in Bangladesh through dialogue in a human chain and rally held today in front of the National Press Club. They also demand to stop the hate speech and to promote the culture of respecting human rights in politics.

The group carries a banner titled “Confrontational politics paves anarchy in governance and annual capital transfer of $1.8 billion which is more than country’s annual foreign loan and aid of $1.2 billion, Respect human rights, Stop hate speech and Politicians must sit for dialogue.”

The alliance place nine points demand that majorly includes (i) Politicians must set their own rules of game; (ii) Hartal is being hardly acceptable as a democratic means of protest, it jeopardizes people’s life and livelihood; (iii) Stop hate speech as it creates enmity instead of unity; (iv) Destruction of public and private properties during hartal is no more supportable. Neither it is an act of responsible citizen. Politicians must orient their party men on human rights and democratic culture, so that they act like a responsible citizen; (v) The ruling party must take lead to tranquil the situation and build people’s trust.

The group also demands “Every citizens should have the right to decide own way of life. No one has the right to impose anything through fascism or religious fanaticism.”

Badrul Alam of Bangladesh Krishok Fedration says that confrontational politics is paving the growth of national Bourgeois who has less respect to human rights and social accountability. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD mentions that politicians are the great transforming agent of our history and the nation. It is expected that they should not fail in this situation overcoming the standstill and confrontational politics.

Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD moderates the speeches given during the rally. Other speakers are Hena Chowdhury of Jatiya Sramik Jote, KM Rafiqul Islam of PSS and Aminur Rasul of Unnayan Dhara Trust.

The prominent participating organizations are Online Knowledge Centre, NCCB, ASO, Kishani Shova, Coastal Development Partnership, Jatiya Sramik Jote, Bangladesh Krishok Federtaion, BAPA, VOICE, Humanitywatch, EquityBD and others.