Human rights book launched at DU

The publication ceremony of two books written by Professor Dr. Mizanur Rahman was held at Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, University of Dhaka (DU) on 7 April 2018, organised by the Faculty of Law, University of Dhaka.

“Human Rights: Theory, Law and Practice in Bangladesh” and “Samaj Rastra Manabadhikar (Society, State & Human Rights)” were launched in the ceremony by the invited guests.

The ceremony was attended by a number of academics, legal professionals, students and other distinguished guests. The speakers shared their thoughts on the book and discussed how author's writings bring different aspects of society, culture, politics, economics, and human rights together, in light of the original Constitution of 1972. The esteemed guests included Professor Dr. Gowher Rizvi, Advisor to the Prime Minister on International Affairs; Professor Dr. M Shah Alam, Former Member of the Law Commission and Former Dean of Law, University of Chittagong; Professor Dr. Abul Barakat, University of Dhaka; and Professor Dr. Md. Rahmat Ullah, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Dhaka.

At the very beginning of his speech, Professor Dr. Abul Barakat introduced Professor Mizan as the “Political Economist of Legal Jurisprudence”. He said, multidisciplinary understanding is a common essence to all of Professor Mizan's writings. He considered Professor Mizan's books as highly exceptional work, endorsing the thoughts reflected in them.

Professor Dr. Shah Alam said that the best contribution of Professor Mizan is his various innovations in legal education of Bangladesh. By introducing programmes like street lawyering, community law reform, human rights summer school and many others, Professor Mizan has basically produced a strong community of 'anti-generic lawyers' or 'rebellious lawyers' who are now contributing both in bench and bar. Professor Shah Alam observed the books written by the author are the products of his long struggle to revolutionise the thinking in legal education of Bangladesh.

As the chief guest of the event, Professor Dr. Gowher Rizvi said, we all benefit from the experience, knowledge and insights of Professor Mizan in the arena of international law and human rights law. Talking about human rights violation, Professor Rizvi said that the lawmakers are usually above the law and enjoy immunity in contradiction to the concept of rule of law. Speaking against the prevalent discrimination in the society, he highlighted the necessity of passing the proposed anti-discrimination law by the parliament.

Professor Rizvi further added that minority rights must be specified in the human rights since the minority groups suffer the most in our country and are periodically facing attacks, even desecration of their sacred places.

Professor Dr. Md. Rahmat Ullah presided over the ceremony. In his concluding remarks, Professor Rahmat said that the socialist aspirations are yet to be materialised in our country and we fail to treat human rights with a holistic approach. He commented that serious reading of the books authored by Professor Mizan, will help the readers identify the differences between current scenario of Bangladesh and the aspirations that we had during liberation war struggle in 1971. All the guests wished a wider readership of Professor Mizan's two books.

The writer is Student of Law, University of Dhaka.