Dhaka: Terming the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) an ‘ineffective institution’, Bangladesh National Party (BNP) on Saturday demanded the government reconstitute the statuary body.

‘The current human rights commission formed by the government is an ineffective institution… human rights is a parameter to consider a democratic country. The HR condition in Bangladesh has turned worst. We demand the immediate recast of the commission. It should be reconstituted with impartial persons having expertise on it,’ said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.

He came up with the demand at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office.

The BNP leader also urged NHRC chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman to quit shouldering his failures to assert his authority to protect human rights in the country.

He called upon the government to form a permanent taskforce with competent and non-partisan people to look into the allegations of violation of human rights by the law enforcers as per the directives of the High Court.

The High Court on Thursday asked the government to explain in four weeks as to why it should not be directed to form a permanent taskforce to address the incidents of violation of human rights by law enforcers. The court issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Advocate Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA).

Ripon alleged that the human rights of the arrested BNP leaders are being violated in jails. ‘We hope the government will address the issue with due importance.’

He criticised the government for not taking any effective diplomatic move to ensure human rights of Bangladesh migrants drifting in the sea and bring them back home safely.

The BNP leader also said his party is ready to assist the government to resolve the problem.

He suggested the government create employment opportunity in the coastal areas from where people are risking their lives to go abroad through sea.

Replying to a question, Ripon said their party has no update information about its joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed who was detained by Indian police in Shillong nearly two months after his disappearance.

He said Salahuddin’s wife Hasina Ahmed is yet to get visa to go to India.

The BNP leader hoped that they will get information about Salahuddin once Hasina reaches Shillong.

He also claimed that their assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jony went to India on his own initiative as he was not sent by the party.