Law enforcers crossed limit at RU: NHRC

 

Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Dr Mizanur Rahman on Tuesday said the law enforcers crossed their limit by making attacks on a recent peaceful rally of Rajshahi University students.

 

“Members of the law enforcement agencies crossed their limit by carrying out attacks on students at Rajshahi University. They must be brought under trial,” he told a meeting with some former students of the university at the NHRC office in the capital.

 

The students met the NHRC chairman to hand over a report on the attacks on RU students on February 2 last while they were protesting the university’s decision to introduce evening courses and demanding withdrawal of additional fee.

 

Terming the RU attacks heinous and unacceptable, Dr Mizan said the NHRC always works to ensure the rights of all.

 

He said the Commission in its next meeting will decide weather it will conduct an inquiry or hire a rights body to carry out probe into the incident. “After scrutinising the probe body’s findings, the NHRC will make some recommendations so that the victims get justice.”

 

The NHRC chairman said it is the responsibility of all institutions to consider the recommendations of the NHRC seriously. “If the authorities concerned do not take up the recommendations seriously, it’ll be a violation of human rights,” he added.

 

Dr Mizan urged the law enforcers not to harass the injured students when they go to hospitals to receive treatment. “If the law enforcement agencies arrest the injured students while undergoing treatment, the NHRC will take a tough decision in this regard.”

 

Asked why the Commission did not take steps immediately after the attacks on the RU students, Dr Mizan said the Commission has sent a letter to the Home Ministry asking it to inform the Commission about the actions taken against the members of law enforcement agencies involved in the attacks, but the ministry did not yet reply to it.

 

He said the NHRC will send a fresh letter to the Home Ministry within a day or two to know about the progress in this regard.

 

As per the country’s constitution, the NHRC chairman said, everyone has the right to hold a rally peacefully. “As the RU authorities were responsible for the attacks on the students, they should bear the medical expenses of all the injured students,” Dr Mizan added.

Source: UNB Connect