Chapter 2: Human Rights situation in Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission (JAMAKON) Bangladesh was constituted by the enactment of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2009 in the light of Paris Principle with the aim of promotion and protection of human rights in Bangladesh. The key functions of the JAMAKON is to raise awareness and to provide human rights education and training, research human rights issues and policy advocacy and monitoring and investigation of human rights violations. JAMAKON has been watchful about the overall human rights situation and also the law and order situation throughout 2015. There was reasonable peace and the overall situation was encouraging. JAMAKON has observed that there was no incidence of political violence since February, 2014. But the situation turned violent since 05 January, 2015. A new element introduced this time is petrol bomb. Because of indiscriminate petrol bomb attacks, hundreds have suffered serious burn injuries; many have died and many others will continue to endure a painful life as long as they live. This situation had threatened the normal academic activities of the students and day labors. 1.5 million students have been pushed to uncertain and bleak future because of county-wide blockades and strikes called by certain political parties –their school final examinations being postponed and shifted time and again. Similarly, academic life of all students going to kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities has been paralyzed. The JAMAKON observed very carefully that attacks are been made targeting on the lives and property of innocent people-day laborers, farmers, petty officers and clerks and ordinary men, women and children. At the end of the year 2015, the NHRC of Bangladesh has the duty to put light upon the human rights situation in Bangladesh during the year. The NHRC, therefore, described the major points of human rights situation in Bangladesh which will help readers to understand the overall human rights situation of the country. Insecurity of religious minorities and foreigners Religious intolerance was seen at alarming level in 2015. On 24 October, several bombs were blasted in the get-together of Tazia procession in Old Dhaka resulting in the death of 1 person and injury to more than 100 persons. Such incident is seen for the first time in the 400 years of the procession.1 Another attack on a Shia mosque in Bagura on 26th November where one person was killed and three persons were injured.2 One person was killed and three others were injured in a bomb attack at a mosque of Ahmadiyya Muslim community during prayer in Rajshahi on 25 December 2015.3 Attackers attempted to slit the throat of a Christian pastor. Attacks 1 http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/664120. http://www.bbc.com/bengali/news/2015/10/151024_bd_h osni_dalan_bomb_blst_ashura 2 h ttp ://w ww.b bc.com/be ng ali/n ews /2015/11/151127 _wr_bogra_shia_mosque_is_resonsibility 3 http://www.thedailystar.net/country/1-killed-ahmadiyya-m osque-bomb-attack-192535 5 JAMAKON