Human Rights advocacy
Workshop on "Law, Power and Politics"
Tabassum Mokhduma
THE relationship between law, power and politics are deep-rooted in every sphere of the society. These three are interrelated with each other and responsible for changes that took place in different times in different societies. No doubt that these three have been playing a very vital role in peoples' life. Thus, beyond any question, it is really important, especially for the law students, to understand the implied relationship between law, power and politics and its importance in society, and its impact on peoples' life.
After the successful completion of the first workshop on “Colonization, Capitalism and Law”, Empowerment through Law of the Common People (ELCOP) organized the second workshop of the series on “Law, Power and Politics”. Supported by Odhikar and Chinta Prokashana, the two-day workshop for law students was held at the Conference Room of Sir Nobab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate House, University of Dhaka (DU) on 13-14 November 2009 where 50 law students from 12 public and private universities took part.
The workshop was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Vice-Chancellor, DU. Presided over by Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Professor of Department of Law, DU and Executive Director of ELCOP; other notables present were Guests of Honour Dr Salimullah Khan, Professor, Department of Law, Stamford University Bangladesh; Dr Anu Mohammad, Professor, Department of Economics, Jahangirnagar University and Rezaur Rahman Lenin, Convener and Coordinator of the workshop.
The working session of the workshop included some of the interesting issues like concepts of law, power, politics and justice; the political economy of natural resources: legal and political crisis in Bangladesh; patriarchy, parliamentary arrangements in Bangladesh constitution; seeking effective remedies: prevention of arbitrary arrests, freedom of expression and freedom from torture; rights based development and micro finance: possibility of mutual enforcement; politics of power in Bangladesh context; bare life or political life etc. were discussed in the span of two days where the participants came to know about the law and order history of the sub-continent, how power and politics played an important role in the life of people in different era, violation of basic human rights because of misuse of power and politics etc. as well as how they can work to ensure equal rights of people of different walks of life.
Resource persons of the workshop were Farhad Mazhar, Editor, fortnightly Chinta and Managing Director, UBINIG; Farida Akhter, Executive Director of UBINIG; Dr. Salimullah Khan; Dr Anu Mohammad; Quazi MH Supan, Assistant Professor, DU; Mizanur Rahman Khan, Associate Editor, The Daily Prothom Alo and Advocate Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary, Odhikar.
In the Valedictory session which was also presided over by Dr. Mizanur Rahman saw the presence of Justice Mohammad Abdur Rashid, Chairman, Bangladesh Law Commission as the Chief Guest while Farhad Mazhar and Adilur Rahman Khan were present as the Guests of Honour.
The workshop was indeed an eye-opener for the law students who look forward to make some positive changes in the existing power politics as well as in law and order situation. It gave the students some foods for thought which will certainly help them to critically analyze different situations related to law, power and politics. This workshop definitely encouraged the students to think how they can contribute to the society.
Furthermore, dialogue is a very essential tool to explore different issues and this workshop created a platform among the students for such dialogues. At the end of the workshop, the students undoubtedly felt that they have a responsibility towards their society and it is the best time of their life to give back to society.
In our society the rule of law has yet to be established in its true sense. Still in our country the perpetrators most of the time escapes punishment because of the loopholes of law while the sufferings of the general people tells the need of young, dedicated law community to ensure peoples' right. So the law students must know how they can work in future to ensure people's equal right. On the other hand, the existing law syllabus in Bangladesh cannot be said as a comprehensive one. Though students read law in the class and the teachers teach them but that's far from enough as students need to discuss more so this type of workshop is needed to make the students realize the realities.
The programme Convener Lenin said that he strongly believes, departmentalization of knowledge is itself an obstacle in having fundamental and integrated education and that interaction of knowledge is the root of all development. Thanking the resource persons for their enormous assistance and support and expressing that the young law students will come forward to help establish the rule of law, he looks forward to organize more such events.
The writer is a student of LLM of Department of Law, University of Chittagong.
