Khulna: A divisional consultative meeting on the reforms of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Act-2009 was convened at a local hotel, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss potential amendments to the legislation.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting was jointly organized by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs wing of the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The day-long event saw participation from government officials, civil society representatives, lawyers, academicians, and media personnel.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Mohammad Mohiuddin, Additional Secretary of the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs wing. Dr. Hafiz Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary to the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs wing, attended as the chief guest. The inaugural speech was delivered by Romana Shoaigar, Senior Rules of Law Adviser of UNDP-Bangladesh. SM Shafayet Hossain, Joint Secretary of the Legislative wing, presented the keynote speech, while the Deputy Secretary of the wing offered the vote of thanks.
In his address, Dr. Hafiz emphasized the importance of the NHRC Act amendments, noting that strengthening the NHRC would be a significant step towards enhancing human rights protection in the country. He stressed that the reform process should involve broad participation to ensure its success.
UNDP Adviser Romana Shoaigar highlighted the necessity of making the consultative meeting an inclusive process, aiming to amend the NHRC Act to bolster the commission’s independence, accountability, and orientation towards public service.