Experts on Saturday emphasised the urgent need to eliminate all forms of discrimination from Bangladesh’s legal and social frameworks through comprehensive legislation and firm political commitments.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Elimination of Discrimination in Bangladesh: Legal Context, Current Reality, and Way Forward” at the Bangladesh China Friendship International Conference Centre, Debapriya Bhattacharya, convener of the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, said, “We must eradicate all forms of discrimination through law and by ensuring political parties pledge anti-discrimination commitments in their election manifestos.”
Barrister Sara Hossain presented the keynote paper during the programme, which was organised by the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, in collaboration with BLAST, Manusher Jonno Foundation, and Nagorik Uddyog, with support from Switzerland and UNDP.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman highlighted flaws in the draft law, cautioning that over-categorisation of identities, vague definitions, and a multi-tiered complaint mechanism could render it ineffective.
“We must treat every citizen as a human being – not label them by gender, religion, or disability. The Constitution says, ‘people of Bangladesh’. That is enough,” he asserted, calling for clear timelines, measurable targets, and defined penalties.
Supreme Court Bar Association President AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon urged the interim government to act swiftly, noting that the government emerged from the outcome of the July 2024 anti-discrimination uprising. “If they fail to enact this law, it will betray the sacrifice of thousands,” he said.
He further noted that BNP acting chairman Tariq Rahman has already included anti-discrimination commitments in the party’s 2023 vision document, urging all political parties to clarify their positions in their manifestos.
MCCI President Kamran Tanvirur Rahman, NCP Joint Convener Khaled Saifullah, and Communist Party leader Abdullah Al Kafi Ratan, among others addressed the programme.
