Dhaka: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) wants the State to play a more responsible role in reducing the incidents of political violence, extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearance.

‘The Commission considers extrajudicial killing or crossfire as a threat to the rule of law. It believes that no one is above law, and all stakeholders must have respect for human rights, and it has recommended the government to punish the people involved in the extrajudicial killings through investigations,’ the NHRC said in its annual report.

The Human Rights Commission Annual Report-2014 was submitted to the President on Thursday.

The Commission also wants greater cooperation from the government in playing a stronger role in development and protection of human rights in the country.

Though there is marked progress in human rights situation, the Commission observed that the news related to killing and forced disappearance, negligence in treatment, violence against women, sexual harassment/attack have been published regularly in the media, the report says.

It says, ‘Especially the civil society and NGOs have expressed their concern over the incidents of extrajudicial killing (crossfire) and forced disappearance.’

The Commission also noticed with concern the incidents of arson attack (firebomb attacks) on vehicles that left many people dead and many others injured. The injured people are now leading life with immense pain, the report says adding that the commission has always protested the incidents of political violence, extrajudicial killing and forced disappearance, and the State should play a more responsible role in 'reducing the situation'.

The Commission thinks that the matters related to human resources, financial management, its power to investigate the allegations of human rights violation against law-enforcement agencies are not consistent in a larger part with the Paris Policy.

In its report, the Commission has identified five obstacles it faced in 2014 - limiting the National Human Rights Commission Law-2009, lack of resources and its own office [building], the absence of regional offices and having its important posts filled with officials on deputation.

The report mentions that as per the Commission's organogram, the approved manpower is 93, but currently there are only 28 people are working there. The Commission is facing problems to discharge its regular activities for lack of manpower. Besides, the government's budget to complete its all activities is not enough.

The Commission thinks that its activities should be taken to the grassroots, and regional offices should be established in this connection.

Though the Commission's success in creating awareness on human rights and identifying the incidents of human rights violation, NHRC has not yet got the full membership of Asia Pacific Forum. Also, it has not yet been given 'A' rating by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institution.

The reasons mentioned by International Coordinating Committee of

National Human Rights Institution are the formation of the committee to appoint chairman and members, sending government officials on deputation on the commission's important posts and insufficient allocation.

About the government's cooperation in carrying out its activities, the report says, ‘The Commission thinks if the government cooperation increases, it'll will able to play a stronger role in the development and protection of human rights.’