2016-2020). NHRC has developed a Digital Complaint Management System accessibile for
all including the persons with disabili�es. The digital complaint management system will
help the NHRC to manage the complaints and suo-moto cases of allega�ons of human
rights viola�ons digitally. The system records and analyses data on human rights viola�ons
and issues. This enables NHRC to proac�vely monitor the human rights situa�on and
determine its interven�ons �mely with appropriate measures, advise the government or
state ins�tutuions rela�ng to human rights viola�ons by providing data and evidence.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission maintained a database on the allega�on
of human rights viola�ons, formed fact findings commi�ees wherever needed, and made
recommenda�ons to the concerned authori�es for appropriate ac�ons. The NHRC has
re-ac�vated the Human Rights Focal Desks (HRFD) of the government in the ministries. It
has also formed Human Rights Focal Desks (HRFD) at the Offices of the Divisional
Commissioners and the Deputy Commissioner. The commission has re-appointed the
panel lawyers for their advice on legal and human rights issues and represent NHRC on
legal and human rights issues. With the aim of outreach to the people the NHRC has
formed District Human Rights (Preven�on and Protec�on) Commi�ees (DHRC) in 64
districts of Bangladesh with a combina�on of the State ins�tu�ons and non-State actors.
The NHRC has priori�zed in the capacity development of the HRFD, DHRC and the panel
lawyers on human rights principles, norms and standards. The Commission believes that
the capacity development of the DHRC will ensure be�er coordina�on among the public
bodies and preclude any viola�on of human rights. NHRC envisages this will bring
substan�al improvement in addressing human rights through risk reduc�on, mi�ga�on and
immediate responses. Despite significant achievements a number of planned ac�vi�es of
NHRC could not be fully implement the 2nd Five Year Strategic Plan (2016-2020) as some
ac�vi�es were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
1.3.2 Challenges
The NHRC began its journey (in 2009) with the passage of the Na�onal Human Rights
Commission Act 2009 more than a decade ago. Needless to say that since its establishment,
the Commission has been striving to overcome significant administra�ve, legal and poli�cal
challenges, i.e., considered not fully compliant with the United Na�ons Principles Rela�ng
to the Status of Na�onal Human Rights Ins�tu�ons, 1993 (known as Paris Principles),
limita�ons in the founding Act, i.e., the elaborate defini�on of human rights, the lack of
broader mandate to inquire into an allega�on of viola�on of human rights by the law
enforcement agencies, no s�pulated �meframe for the report to be submi�ed by the
Government in rela�on to the allega�on of viola�on of human rights by the disciplined
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