Dhaka : International Women’s Day-2014 celebrated successfully !

Phalgun Shuklapaksha 10,Kaliyug Varsha 5115

Dhaka(bangladesh):Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW), Bangladesh Center for Human Rights Development (BCHRD) & Global Human Rights Defense (GHRD) jointly organized two days' program to celebrate the event on 7th & 8th March, 2014. The Theme of this year was "INSPIRING CHANGE".

The event was most successful and more than 200 participants attendedthe rally and paraded on the street from Shahbag to Dhaka Engineer'sInstitute and chanted slogans for equal opportunity to Minority women and children in Bangladesh. They also hoisted different colorful placards and demanded equitable justices for the protection of their rights. Many Human Rights organizations and NGOs expressed solidarity with the demands of minority women and children.

Ms.Purnima Shil -who was gang-raped during 2002 and survived, expressed her experiences of torture on her during bad time at Serajgonj district. Now she could realize the pains of atrocities committed to other minority women and children because of their identity as Hindu.  She also expressed gratefulness to those who gave her legal assistance at the time of her critical period 2002 to 2006 in the court. She reminded other likeminded victims to be more cautious of their rights and obligations.

Md. Mahabul Hoque – Executive Director of BCHRD spoke on the occasion and expressed his concern over the recent atrocities against minority communities in different parts of the Bangladesh. He demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators responsible for committing crime against women and children belonging to minority communities.

Sree Manik Chandra Sarkar- representative of BDMW from Narayangonj also spoke on rally and expressed dissatisfaction over the increasing number of atrocities against minority women and children. He also demanded deterrent punishment of the perpetrators who are still roaming under the nose of law enforcing agencies.

Advocate Rabindra Ghosh of BDMW pinpointed some recent atrocities on the minority women and children. He also focused on the police reports, other than reports of BDMW, 160 attacks on Hindus at Dinajpur, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, Tangail, Comilla, chandpur, Bagerhat, jesore, Narail, Chittagong Rajshahi,Nowgaon, Natore, Joypurhat, Barisal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Thakuggaon took place. But the effective actions against the perpetrators are yet to be taken. Sometimes impunity to perpetrators is significant even at the highest administrative level. Most of the minority women and children living at the villages are passing their days with agony and rendered harassment. Some of them fled to nearby West Bengal, India for their safety and security. He also demanded immediate protection of their rights as per UN Declaration under General Assembly Resolution 47/135 of 18th December 1992.

Many Media personnel and journalists attended the event and played avital role on this occasion.

The Rally was presided over by Advocate Rabindra Ghosh-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW).After the rally Mr.Ghosh thanked the participants for their active role.

Source: BDMW