Marginalised people must not face discrimination in availing govt service
Forming a humane and dignified state promised in the Proclamation of Independence in 1971, is not possible by excluding any quarter of the population. We have to move forward with everyone. The fundamental rights of all, irrespective of religion, caste and ethnicity, must be established. In this case, the constitution says to give special benefits to the backward sections of the society.
But there is considerable doubt whether those who have been in power for 50 years have tried to bring the marginalised to the forefront. In many cases we see those promises are only on paper.
A study published by the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) found that marginalised people are being discriminated in accessing various government services. A research report titled ‘Access of Marginalised Populations to Government Services: Analysis of Accountability Systems’ was released on Thursday.
In the research, the lives of small ethnic groups, victims of acid-terrorism, Dalits, tea-garden workers and transgender people came up. There are other marginalised groups outside of them. The duty of the state is to treat all citizens equally; which is neglected in many cases.
They view most government officials as biased and find themselves to be considered as weak. As a result, they do not get the benefit of the meager allocation for the marginalised people in the budget or development programmes of the government. Many marginalised people do not know where to go to get government services.
The National Human Rights Commission's draft law on the elimination of discrimination several years ago has not been passed. The draft law is also flawed. There is no mention of holding the investigating officer and the National Human Rights Commission accountable.
According to the report, not all minorities have legal recognition and land rights. According to the study, the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013 and the Policy, 2015 did not allow victims of acid-terrorism to register directly as persons with disabilities.
The 10-point recommendations raised by TIB to address this inequality include allocating separate time to the problems of marginalised people in public hearings of government institutions and encouraging them to express their problems in order to ensure the representation and participation of marginalised people in various organisations including local government institutions.
Apart from this, it is also recommended to ensure inclusive, non-discriminatory and accountable services as promised in the constitution.
Although the constitution is supposed to provide special facilities to the backward people, it is unfortunate that it has not been properly implemented. The government's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 will never succeed without improving the living standards of marginalised people.
We expect the government to pass an anti-discrimination law immediately, as recommended by the TIB. But not only do we have to make laws, we have to change the mindset of those who are responsible for enforcing those laws.