Lawyer and human rights activist Sara Hossain said that the judge has to think ten times whether to grant bail or not. He said this at the third session of the National Convention on ‘Fuel, Economy, Human Rights, Reforms and Referendum’ organized by Jatiya Nagrik Party’s Reform Implementation Committee at Muktijoddha Hall of Diploma Engineers Institute in Kakrail, capital. The session was organized on Freedom of Expression and Human Rights: Current Risks and Actions.
NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmood presided over this session. Apart from this, former chief prosecutor of International Criminal Tribunal Tajul Islam, journalist and political analyst Ashraf Qaiser, journalist and activist Zaima Islam, former member of Disappearance (Prevention) Commission Nabila Idris, president of Jatiya Yubo Shakti Advocate Tariqul Islam, and human rights activist Minhaj Aman also spoke. The session was moderated by NCP Joint Member Secretary and Member of Parliament Abdullah Al Amin.
Taking part in the discussion on human rights, Barrister Sara Hossain said, ‘Human rights are not only for people of my party and ideology. Rather it should be for everyone. Economic and social rights will apply to those with different ideologies. At present we see that bail is not available. The judge has to think ten times whether he will actually grant bail or not. We also want the trial of July’s murder to be done properly. But the investigation is not over. And many are being held without proof.’
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said, ‘After August 5, when the press began to be taken over, they have only changed hands over time. Any government gets worried when it comes to working with the media. They are worried about the consequences. Journalists, owners may get angry and turn against the government. It happened during the interim government as well. People’s trust is eroding because of the change in our mainstream media. As a result they are turning to new media. When our voices were silenced from the mainstream during the coup, the new media played a very important role.’
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said, ‘Human rights should be universal. But we are not able to practice it because we don’t have enough legal framework. The previous practice remains. Many of the journalists are under arrest, many of the Awami League are under arrest, because of the lack of proper legal framework, those who helped to become fascism are now being given a hero treatment. But they needed to be punished more severely.’
Dr. Nabila Idris said, ‘During this government, I saw five people arrested for writing against the government in 22 days. Many people think that bail is the end after arrest. In fact, this is the beginning of harassment. Because then the cases continued. He has to pay rent to attend the case. He has to appoint a lawyer.’ He said, ‘Those arrested by this government are from a wide area. And none of them are very important figures. So what is the reason for arresting them? Because that old pattern; creating fear.’
Journalist Ashraf Kaiser said, ‘The current government is discussing a lot of wrong information. Earlier, a minister Arafat used to talk about such misinformation. When the government calls misinformation misinformation, it is a cause for concern. Because then a lot of constructive facts can seem like disinformation.’
Former chief prosecutor Tajul Islam said, ‘From those who have gone missing, to those who have returned alive, all of them and their families have different sad stories. But they were not promoted that way. As a result, when I talk about mirroring, I get cyber bullied on Facebook. As a result, thousands of cases of disappearances during the previous government have to be tried. If not judged, the present will have the courage to tread the same path. As a result, justice must be ensured.’
Fact-checker and human rights activist Minhaj Aman said, ‘Fake news is no small matter. It has to do with national security. But the problem is, if any fact-checking goes in the government’s favor, they accept it. It does not do otherwise. After August 5, there are many criticisms about media freedom. For example, if people spread fake news, they will be judged. But what happens if the journalist spreads fake news. I think journalists need a self-realization here. Even a sorry word can start the process of reconciliation.’
President of Jatiya Yuvakti Tariqul Islam said, “Due to the expression of opinion, the Digital Security Act, Cyber Protection Act has directly filed defamation cases without arresting them.” Thakurgaon district joint member secretary of Jatiya Yuba Shakti has been arrested for making comments against current minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. We have learned that the judge there is afraid if he will get into trouble for granting him bail. Political initiatives are needed against them. That which we cannot see.’
Journalist Zaima Islam said, ‘There was talk of an independent media commission in the Media Reform Commission. Where a journalist could file a complaint if he was under political pressure from the office. If a public accepts dishonest journalism, he too can seek justice. But it did not see the light of day after it became a draft law.’
