The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development on Tuesday urged the Bangladesh government to refrain from using force on the teachers, who have been demonstrating for a week demanding.
MPO facilities and should instead initiate dialogue with them.
FORUM-ASIA, a regional human rights forum representing 47 human rights organisations, from 16 Asian countries including Bangladesh, also urged the government to heed the advice of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh, the chairman of which has also condemned the brutality of police and asked the government to respect and protect people’s right to peaceful assembly and association.
‘We strongly condemn this heavy-handedness showed by the police. This is a clear violation of the constitution of Bangladesh that guarantees the rights of peaceful assembly and association as fundamental rights of its citizens, as well as the international human rights laws with regard to peaceful assembly and association including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Bangladesh is a state party,’ said Yap Swee Seng, executive director of FORUM-ASIA.
‘This is completely unjustifiable as these poor teachers have come to the capital from all over the country to put their demand in completely peaceful means and to make their voice heard by the government,’ stated Yap.