Dhaka: Expressing its resentment at the role of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the High Court on Wednesday said the state agency is not performing the duties bestowed upon it as per the law, reports the UNB.

‘We’re saddened that the Commission hasn’t moved the higher court for a single time although its orders were repeatedly violated,’ the bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Rajik-Al-Jalil said while hearing a writ petition over the torture of domestic help Khadija in Mirpur.

The court said the NHRC only files reports whereas human rights are violated. ‘This is not its job. The Commission might move the High Court it its orders are not implemented. But they haven’t come to the High Court till today. This is a serious violation of the law. We’re very shocked that the human rights commission is not performing its duties.’

It said issuing orders one after another without taking any effective step over the torture of the domestic help manifests human rights commission’s irresponsibility. 

On January 9 last, the High Court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why the failure of the NHRC to provide appropriate remedy for incidents of human rights violations should not be declared illegal.

The court had also directed the home secretary to submit a report within 30 days explaining who no action was taken about the torture of domestic help Khadija on December 9, 2013.

Children Charity Foundation sent a letter to the NHRC to take necessary legal steps against the torture on Khadija.

During investigation, the NHRC found that the domestic help was tortured after being confined to her employer’s house and she was made to starve. However, police hid all the information and did not record any case in this regard.

Later in 2014, the National Human Rights Commission sent a letter to the Home Secretary to take action in this regard after investigating the allegation brought against police.

Although it wrote 18 times till 2018, no action was taken till the date, Halim said, adding that although the NHRC can identify the cases of human rights violations, it cannot provide any remedy to this end.