Date Archives February 2021

Dark in the Light (Quarantine diaries, Room No-813)

COVID-19 Life February 25, 2021

Normal is boring, sometimes, you know. I knew that I am going to get quarantined for 15 days. And I was ready and quite excited to take this challenge knowing that it’s going to be hard, cause sometime it’s good to divert life from normal ways. It was a new challenge for a girl like me to stay in a hotel room for 15 days without having fresh air or without having face to face contact of living beings. Since, I love to take challenges, I was physically and mentally prepared for this.

My “Mirror Room”! Yes, I named it “Mirror Room” as the whole room is surrounded by mirror. Though it was not so large but I think, I got enough space for living 15 days here. The most important thing of this room is the very large window from where I can view outside world. Thanks to God, human being still exists out there. And I love the window side only for the reason that at least I can see the beauty of weather, the sunlight, rain, trees, birds, air and most importantly peoples.

Window View of My Room

Although I was prepared for the situations, as days are passing, I started feeling lonely and stressed without any reason. Of course, I am a human being, so its normal to feel these ways. Is my mind now trying to make me fall into its trap of loneliness? Is my insight getting messy day by day? No chance! I have to keep in mind, life is beautiful and of course its messy sometimes that never goes according to plan. That doesn’t mean one can’t survive when she is passing through tough times. Of course, there is light in the end of tunnel.

“Life is beautiful and of course its messy sometimes that never goes according to plan.”

My feeling of nothing to do is getting deep into mind and seems I am not engaged in the world. Am I loosing my Focus? I don’t need to be afraid to put my dream in action. I am not afraid to try. Rather, it’s better to switch negative thoughts to happiness and joy in life. There are too many reasons to stay happy. And today is valentine’s day the whole world is showering with love. Love in the crowd is so colorful with so many objects and purposes. But here in this mirror room, Love is black and white, simple, sweet and pure. The definition of love changes with the time, place and situations though love remain the same. Like this, Each and every upcoming level of your life will demand a different version of you based on the situations.

“The definition of love changes with the time, place and situations though love remain the same.”

Life is very short and every situation of it is temporary. A beautiful bird is sitting in a tree I can see through my window. It is raining out there with a wind. The bird is still sitting there not only because it needs a shed to save itself from getting wet, but also it knew how strong its leg and wings to save itself from the wind. Apparently, like the bird, A strong girl can never give up rather she come back stronger after crossing the tunnel. I am trying to divert my thought of being loneliness to create happiness with what I have now.

Now I can relate, the writer of “365 Days for Travelers” truly wrote “Where is happiness? Why Keep Praying to the divine for happiness or begging the Buddha for a way to find happiness? Happiness has always been in our hearts.”

“Where is happiness? Why Keep Praying to the divine for happiness or begging the Buddha for a way to find happiness? Happiness has always been in our hearts.”

Well I don’t need many things to pleasant my mind, one cup of coffee with small lovely talk (right now over the phone) is enough for me.

Oh Mind! Why human mind changes every time? Sometimes it feels like the spring, sometimes feels like Queen, sometimes like the Ocean and again sometimes it is full of emptiness. Mind is boundless and nobody can control mind. And my mind is now showering with joy as I am going outside tomorrow, I can feel the nature again. It feels like, God is giving me another opportunity to live happily in human world. Life is beautiful and I am going to make the rest of my life, the best of my life. I am in.

“Life is beautiful and I am going to make the rest of my life, the best of my life. I am in.”

Labours’ right still unrecognised largely

Human Rights Research Spacial Day February 12, 2021 1 Comment

The issue of labour exploitation caught people’s attention with the rising of industrialization. The industrialists started to exploits the labour class and deprived them from their rights. At that time, socialism was made appeal to working people and some people had their ideology of working class control over the production and distribution of all goods and services. The capitalists controlled industries to make more profits with their political agenda which created a class of anarchists those created socialists labour unions.

A greater social revolution was growing from that anarchism for a drastic change in the economic composition of capitalism. Thus, to protest the injustice, the labourers came forward and raise their voice. After a lot of struggle, they succeed and a special day is dedicated to appreciate and recognize the hard work and achievements of the labour class. Labour rights are a bunch of legal rights where the workers have a democratic voice in taking decisions and policy making.

The International Labour Day was declared after the incidents that took place in the streets of Chicago in 1886. At that time, the world was tumultuous because of the demands of the working class. Labour movement was a regular issue which demanded work accommodations like eight-hour workdays and unions. Every year more than 80 countries celebrated 1st May as national holiday for workers day and in many countries celebrated it unofficially. Our existent condition cannot be taken for granted. The rights and dignities we are enjoying today, people fought for these for a long time.

Like elsewhere in the world, this year Bangladesh is also observing the significant May Day. With great Dignity and honour our governments, as well as different labour-oriented organizations, are celebrating the day. To ensure proper welfare and justice toward the labours, our government has formulated Bangladesh Labour Law 2006, (Amendment in 2013). Bangladesh has also ratified the ILO Convention in 1972, and with the assistance of ILO our government is taking necessary steps to achieving Bangladesh’s decent work objectives.

International Labour Organization has fostered and aimed at promoting opportunities for women and men to gain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, dignity, and security since 1919. Freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour, the effective abolition of child labour, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation are the core labour standards of ILO to promote right to work and respect the labours.

Article 14 of The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh states that “It should be a fundamental responsibility of the state to emancipate the toiling masses- the peasants and workers- and backward section of the people from all forms of exploitation”. It is not only the moral obligation of a state but also our (People’s) responsibility to abide by the constitution and respect its noble ideals to protect the sovereignty, integrity, unity and inspired our national struggle for freedom. May Day reminds us that the fundamental responsibility of the state is to prevent injustice and all forms of exploitation.

Workers of Bangladesh, in many industries, have to face dangerous working conditions and are paid poor wages. Although recently the minimum wages have increased, it fails to meet most basic living cost of a worker. Another growing issue is the child labour which is still a concern of our country. Our law said that no child, who has not reached fourteen years of age, shall be required or allowed to work in any factory. We have rules and regulations regarding child labour issues but again because of proper implementation we failed to prevent it.

In addition, with the blast of population our labour migration is increasing day by day. As a global citizen, Migrant workers’ have various policies and legislation to protect and uphold migrant worker’s rights, safety, and security in our country. Our migrant workers are playing a major pillar in our economy, for that reason our government needs more concentration on this issue.

We have the laws but the mechanisms are very poor to protect the labours’ rights. And the main reason behind this is ignorance of employer as well as workers and unawareness of government. To remove the lack of enforcement of the laws proper interpretation and implementation of labour rights is necessary.

May Day was a day of protests and riots which compelled the government of different countries to make different laws and at the same time by the grace of that day workers of now enjoying different privileges. In this auspicious day, we desire better relation between employees and employers, a standard minimum wages, compensation for injuries to workers during working hours, settlement of industrial disputes, health safety, welfare and better working environment of the working-class people.

The labourer contributes a huge to our society. So ensuring their protection and welfare is our responsibility. That’s why the right to peaceful assembly and association in the workplace is very much important. The mutual interdependencies, sense of well-being, and happiness of each individual can introduce a better society with a better environment. We all know that unity is strength and if employer and employee work together the society will be more benefited.

This article was also published in Daily Observer Op-Ed on 01 May 2019.

Observing International Mother’s Day-2019

Life Research Spacial Day February 9, 2021

Mother is the best gift that the world has ever given us. ‘Mother’ is the supreme human being in this world to a person. We can’t express the feeling regarding her because she is in the heart of everyone whom we can feel silently. She is that valuable person who gets gift of nurturing life. ‘Mother’ is inexpressible since she can conduct with the hardship to being mother because God gives her more endurance and patience than another else. A mother is an angel without wings whose heart is full of forgiveness and love. She is the only one without whom a family is incomplete and a home is in darkness.

“A mother is an angel without wings whose heart is full of forgiveness and love.”

Mother’s Day is an occasion that is celebrated every year in different parts of the world. It is a day to express respect, honor, and love towards mothers that reminds the importance and significance of her in our life. Without any break, she relentlessly performs her duty for the well beings of her children. The celebration of Mother’s Day allows us to reflect on how we are connected as a family and who we want to be as a family.

In the time of ancient Greeks and Romans, celebration of mothers and motherhood was a festive in honour of the mother goddesses. But later, for Mother’s Day the early Christian festival was well known as “Mothering Sunday”. Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more secular holiday where children would present their mothers with flowers with token of appreciation. This tradition becomes widely recognised with the rise of American Mother’s Day in the 19th century.

The modern Mother’s Day arose by the endeavours of Anna Jarvis who was a social activist and community organizer during the American Civil War period. She wanted to honour her mother and set aside a day to honour all mothers because she believed that a mother is a divine person who has done more thing for her child than another else in the world. However, by virtue of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation determining Mother’s Day as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honour of those mothers whose son had died in war. Every year the day is celebrated around the world in the second Sunday in May with much affection.

Those who have a mother are really fortunate and it is like ‘heaven on the earth’. Unfortunately, with the rise of nuclear families in our society, the golden days are gone where old mothers are used to be held in the high dignity. We children grow up and migrate to different cities or countries leaving our mother in old-age home by forgetting our origin. Every moment our mother thinks about us but our money-making and self-seeking tendency don’t notice the tender love of a mother for her children.

When love is withheld a mother turns out broken down. Isolation, loneliness and monotony are the most common issues of a mother when children were not around her. We should keep in mind that she demands more care when we stay away from her. The mother-child relationship is one of the most long-lasting and emotionally vivid social ties. Unluckily, most of today’s generation people forget the value of emotion and social ties with mother.

A mother is not just a mother for a specific day but for whole life. As we are growing up, we should look after our mother and also we should need to spend time with them to reduce their loneliness make them happy. We have to come out from the cave of corporate society and serve our mother who brought us into this beautiful world. It is unrealizable to think of life on the universe without mothers.

Most mothers work hard to take care of us and our family. No matter what and how many times a child fail, she always supports her child and builds our confidence by following different ways. She teaches us every good thing and she is the one who never wants us to cry. She always cares about child’s education and motivates us to chase our dreams. She teaches us how to be strong, how to be caring, and that’s why we can proudly say that she is the reason for what we are today. No matter how aged we are we remains her baby forever.

In this significant day, every person should remember that mother is an angel on the face of the earth. We should love our mother and respect her because there is no other creation in the planet as caring like she is.

This article was also published in Daily Observer Op-Ed on 12 May 2019.

World Mental Health Day-2020: A new hope amid COVID-19

COVID-19 Health & Wellness February 7, 2021

Mental Health is a state of Psychological well-being of human beings. Each year on the 10th of October, the world observes World Mental Health Day. It creates an opportunity to come together to make mental health a reality for everyone and everywhere. This day also reminds us of the importance of mental health in humans’ life.

In every stage of human life, Mental Health is very important. It refers to emotional, psychological and social well being of human beings. As per the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines, “Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can overcome challenges, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” Thus, for living a balanced and healthy life mental health is an undivided part.

Mental health amid COVID-19

Human beings are passing through the most ticklish time. All around the world, the rapid expansion of COVID-19 has transformed people from social to isolated human beings. Since the beginning of 2020, people are going through this difficult situation and it has become obvious that people are going to suffer long term for this pandemic. Already, an unexpected number of people has been killed by the pandemic and the death rate is increasing day by day.

The present pandemic situation has put forward a great change to the human body as well as mind. Millions of people’s mental health are seriously in danger as they are suffering from fear, panic, anxiety disorder, depression and some other stressful condition. As a result, frequent behavioural changes of individual are occurring and this serious mental health issue is becoming a threat to physical health.

Impact of social distancing on people

Moreover, as human beings are social creatures, the term ‘work from home’ & ‘physical distancing’ are creating much burden on people. People are getting more vulnerable for the absence of face to face interaction and regular socializing which is affecting family relationships and other things. And the bitter truth is, the mood-boosting power of face to face interaction with others can’t reduce the stress-strain of people along with phone calls or other social networks.

Mental health impacts our thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviours, and activities though most of the time we ignore this issue. In the present situation, people all over the world are getting stressed due to fear of being infected, fear of being isolated and helpless, fear of losing livelihood, job insecurity etc. In such a manner, the health condition of individuals getting down and sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, digestive problems, heart diseases, reproductive issues and even suicidal issues are coming to human minds.

COVID-19 test: A stigma in developing states

Particularly, in a developing country like Bangladesh, people ignore the importance of mental health because of lack of awareness. Moreover, in our country, this pandemic becomes very sensitive that has disrupted our long-cherished social and religious practices. Fear of stigma is haunting many people. Thus, people are avoiding and delaying for being tested until they are getting seriously ill.

People are getting afraid of quarantine and isolation because of social rejection and stigmatization. In many rural areas of our country, people are becoming double humiliated by their neighbours and others when they get a positive report. And this negative attitude from the society toward the infected people, in such a critical moment, makes them traumatized and mentally depressed. This depression is ruining human health and creates low motivation to live a happy life.

Mental peace necessary for sound health

As nobody knows how long this ‘Corona phobia’ is going to last in people’s mind, how many people are going to face death and what the future will bring, people have to fight with this disease. And to fight with this disease a sound mental condition is very important. Sound mental health can enhance the immune system and make it able to fight with infectious diseases.

Ways to get mental peace

The social brain of human beings always seeks a positive connection with others. A simple eye contact, friendly greetings, small talks, and exchanges of a smile (by maintaining physical distance) can have a great impact on mental peace in the present situation. As mind and body are interlinked with one another, regular physical exercises or activities and having balanced and healthy food can lift one’s mood which also helps to relieve stress and sleep better.

Use home confinement as an opportunity

Bad times or experiencing stresses are normal parts of human life. People’s ability to cope with the situation with a positive outlook is called resilience. And it is the individual who has the sole power to handle his own emotion in a positive way to build resilience. Home confinement creates an opportunity to strengthen family bonding by forming more quality time with them that human always wished to do in a previous competitive world.

Follow trustworthy sources

During crisis time, it is normal to feel stressed and people react differently in such situations. In present times, because of rumours and misinformation, most of the people feel out of control and get confused about what to do. It is necessary not to engage too much with negative news and only follow trusted sources of information. An individual need to address the stigma and create awareness among their family and near one’s.

Peer support

One thing that needs to be ensured that people who are staying alone or isolated should not be neglected by society. Peer support is another important thing that can reduce stress. A trusted person, whether from family or from friends, can work as a good helper to maintain mental peace by listening to the person who needs support. Therefore, there is always a need to focus on positive things and maintain a sense of hope.

“we all need to provide special attention to our mental well-being as it provides strength to our immune system to fight with the diseases”

The greatest assets of the human world are health, knowledge, love, freedom, solidarity and peace. These are now being threatened by the pandemic. As a daily lifestyle and social norms are changing, the purpose of life, as well as normal human psychology, is also changing. In such a situation, we all need to provide special attention to our mental well-being as it provides strength to our immune system to fight with the diseases. So, from today, lets become more concern about the psychological well-being of our own and near one’s, together for a better world.

This article was also published in Orbital Affairs Op-Ed on 9 October 2020.

World Human Rights Day-2020 amid COVID-19

COVID-19 Human Rights Research February 5, 2021

World Human Rights Day creates an opportunity to reaffirm the significance of human rights in rebuilding the world with global solidarity and shared humanity.

Humanity has no boundaries. Humanity possesses the peaceful coexistence of human beings as well as the entire ecology. We each possess some inner light that always looks for peace. And that light has the power to bring the whole world free of boundaries where people can share, contribute what they have and assist each other. For the protection of human beings, human rights are very essential and World Human Rights Day refreshes the sense of proper rights distribution.

Human rights

“Human rights are some basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person around the world from birth until death. These rights are based on shared values like dignity, equality, fairness, respect, and independence.”

The idea of basic rights and freedoms has deep roots from Britain. The landmark development of the “Magna Carta of 1215, the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679, the Bill of Rights of 1689, and lastly through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the fundamental rights and freedoms are set out at global level.”

“Human Rights need to navigate this crisis in a way to focus on gaining equitable and sustainable development as well as peace”

World Human Rights Day creates an opportunity to reaffirm the significance of human rights in rebuilding the world with global solidarity and shared humanity. Every year the world observed Human Rights Day on the 10th December. The day was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10th December 1948, the first global enunciation of human rights.

The aim of the UDHR is to establish a common standard of living for all people across the world. When the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration, it was proclaimed as a “Common standard of achievement for all people and all nations, towards which individuals and societies should strive by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance.”

Human Rights Day amid COVID-19

The spread of novel Coronavirus has affected not only people’s health but also their freedoms and livelihood that provokes a global human rights crisis. This year the theme of World Human Rights Day is about the COVID-19 pandemic which ponders upon the imperative need of building a better world by ensuring Human Rights. “With this notion, this year, the theme of World Human Rights Day-2020 is ‘Recover Better- Stand Up for Human Rights’.”

“Recover Better- Stand Up for Human Rights”

The rise of COVID-19 pandemic has become a great threat to public health which puts restrictions on certain rights by imposing quarantine or isolation that limits some basic freedom of human beings.

If we observe the pandemic crisis through the human rights lens, its impact on people, particularly the vulnerable people, can’t be described. In the present time, ensuring human rights for everyone and every country around the world has become a great challenge. The economic and social crisis as well as insufficient health and social protection systems require crucial attention.

In the present situation, Human Rights need to navigate this crisis in a way to focus on gaining equitable and sustainable development as well as peace. In the fight against the current pandemic, some rights are at top priority, most importantly, right to life and duty to protect life, right to health and access to health care and challenge to freedom of movement. “Livelihoods, access to services including food, health, water, education and social services, safety at home, adequate standards of living and family life have been already affected broadly by this pandemic.”

However, now the main focus in this world is on saving a life. As the greatest assets of the human world are health, knowledge, love, freedom, solidarity and peace are now being threatened by the pandemic, the purpose of life, as well as normal human psychology, is also changing. To recover and strengthen our commitment to human rights we all need to stand together. On this Human Rights Day, let’s imagine a new and better world where the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights lead the way closer to recovery.

This article was also published in Orbital Affairs Op-Ed on 10 December 2020.

Appalling condition of Rohingyas

Human Rights Research February 3, 2021

Humanity has no boundaries. Humanity possesses the peaceful coexistence of human beings with the entire ecology. We each possess some inner light that always looks for peace. This inner light has the power to bring the whole world together in which we can share, contribute what we have and assist each other. But it is really heartbreaking for a human being to flee the place where the individual has born and brought up in. Due to prosecution he/she has to do it.

Each year June 20, the world commemorates the courage and strength of refugee and joins together to honour them. World Refugee Day reminds us the systematic inequalities toward human beings. The refugees are forced to leave their own homeland due to war, terror, natural disaster or some other crisis. They are vulnerable and suffer hunger, disease, trauma, violence and loss.

On the World Refugee Day, the world dignifies their contributions and seeks to build empathy and resilience to build a bright future for them.This day is an expression of solidarity with people who have been forcefully displaced from their homes by war or some other reason. It is a global responsibility to deal with the broad idea of common humanity altogether.

Bangladesh is facing several challenges for the emergent Rohingya crisis. The Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) who are now staying in Bangladesh having experienced ethnic and religious persecution for decades in their country Myanmar. The influx began in 2017 and they started coming and living Bangladesh for ensuring the safety of their life & livelihood. It was one of the major humanitarian crises on Muslim minorities where heavily affected groups are women, children, disable and elderly persons.

The urgent needs of food, shelter, water, sanitation and medical assistance were made their life most vulnerable.Though Bangladesh Government told Myanmar to take back their people, Myanmar denied the citizenship of those Muslim minority and also denied persecuting those forcibly displaced people.It is not only about threat to life of FDMN’s for which they had to escape but also threat to humanity and peace indeed.

Rohingya refugees scramble for aid at a camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh in 2017

Like most other Asian countries Bangladesh did not accede to the 1951 International Refugee Convention and also there is no national refugee law that guarantees the status or rights of refugees. But Bangladesh is a signatory party of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),1948, where “All person is guaranteed the right to life, liberty and security of person, freedom of slavery, freedom form torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, the right to be recognised as a person before law and equality before law.”

“All person is guaranteed the right to life, liberty and security of person, freedom of slavery, freedom form torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, the right to be recognised as a person before law and equality before law.”

There is no doubt that Bangladesh has shown its humanity and graciousness toward the FDMNs by providing temporary shelter, keeping their borders open and with the help of international communities leading this humanitarian responses.Although its impact on the host community is massive, people have to keep in mind that they didn’t flee by choice but from necessity.

The large group of FDMN’s though creating some trouble on national systems, comprehensive planning and responsibilities sharing can reduce the trouble.They need the opportunity to use their skills and abilities to contribute equally to the community while rebuilding their lives. They should have the opportunity to contribute more to local community as everyone deserve the opportunity to survive. Thus, burden sharing can create the potential to benefit host countries and also provide a chance of protection and safety to the refugee people.

If we look at the current situation, the whole world is now passing through a critical time because of the most widespread pandemic outbreak COVID-19. In one hand Bangladesh is facing different challenges in case of assisting FDMN’s, on the other hand, the present pandemic already has entered and started spreading among the community which added a new challenging situation to an already complex condition.

The vast population of refugee camp remain highly vulnerable. As those people are staying in congested area with many difficulties so they are now at high risk in the present situation.For this reason, physical distancing which is a crucial aspect in this epidemic situation, poses a great challenge toward these people. It’s hard to perceive the magnitude of the crisis of displaced people.

Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on 9/20/2017. © Sk Hasan Ali / Shutterstock

The Government of Bangladesh as well as the humanitarian organisations are working continuously for this people so that they can support themselves for survival. One can clearly see in their body language that they are always in surviving mode. The chances of resettlement and the FDMN’s livelihood provide them opportunity to hope again and help them dare to accomplish their dream.

The world should not only commemorate the day with respect but also have to concern that the forcibly displaced people should be central to a country’s development and planning. Thus, in this world Refugee day lets commit for stand together with solidarity and magnanimity with refugees for the sake of humanity.

This article was also published in Daily Observer Op-Ed on 20 June 2020.

Human rights sensitisation not merely human rights education

Adventure Study Travel February 1, 2021

The 12th International Residential School is a platform for Human Rights Sensitisation, not merely Human Rights education. Each year Kathmandu Law School arranges a 21 day long coursework on Economic, Social, and Development Rights as a specific theme that has a strong bearing on respect. This year the theme of 12th ESDR (Economic, Social & Development Rights) is Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) that mentioned about “South Asia- China Connectivity for Regional Economic Social Development”.

12th International Winter Residential School on Economic Social and Development Rights (ESDR)

This year seven countries participated in the coursework named Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Australia and Afghanistan. These Regional connectivity initiatives uplift the general population of South-Asian region from crippling poverty and deprivation. The constructive discussion of the 21 days was all about the people to people connectivity, interplay between law & development, poverty & development, how to change the ” vector of life” and take it above the “development thresholds”, Human Rights violations for imbalances of power, socio-economic development of South-Asia, shared responsibility among the regional countries and so on.

“Human Rights violations for imbalances of power, socio-economic development of South-Asia, shared responsibility among the regional countries

Professor Yubaraj Sangroula, Executive Director of Kathmandu School of Law, was the father figure of this 21 day program who take care each of 38 participants of 7 countries like his child. He never let to miss our home. We worked from 8 to till late in the night, sometimes the whole night awake, and we got tired, but this energetic father figure reminds and inspired us that we are working for our country & people who might not get food once a day and don’t have any shelter for living. His inspiration helps to play insight our mind about the happiness and peace of those poor people. What I got from this program is a happy family of 38 members with vast of knowledge to spread out the whole world.

I was a participant of 21 residential programs that was arranged from 23 October to 13 November at Kavre District, the outreach campus of Kathmandu Law schools. I went there with an ambitious mind to explore the new idea of BRI and how Bangladesh and other South-Asian countries get benefit from these. The Residential program was started with the vibrant conference on China’s BRI initiatives with the argument of different professional legal scholars of South-Asian countries. From Bangladesh, professor ZakirHussain, former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Chittagong, and former member, Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission, focused on the benefits of Bangladesh from these initiatives.

What I learned is that Belt and Road Initiative is a globalizing initiative, which can help to protect human rights, build co-operation, and collaborating work together among the countries. It can help to break the domain of Capitalist intervention with human rights weapon. This initiative can be a win-win situation for South-Asian countries because most of the countries of this part have almost the same propaganda in the constitution such as Socialism or Egalitarian societies. But the main problem here is the India-Pakistan border dispute issues. India at first wanted to join this initiative, but now this country is showing its unwillingness to join this program by showing the cause of security issues.

Memories

We all know that unity is strength. Keeping this in our mind, I think Bangladesh, Nepal, China can take an initiative to negotiate with India-Pakistan. Because all these countries can get not only economical but also social and cultural benefit and the togetherness of these countries can reduce the fear of further western intervention or further colonization.

Finally

These 21 days opened my inner eyes and let me know that being a law student and a youth worker I have a lot of responsibilities to my country. I have to work for people and their development in the true sense by combating corruption. The young of our country is the most important power to a developed future well-established nation which is free from poverty. We do field research on poverty and found the major problems with it. I learned that the academic study is not enough for the understanding of the real situation of the world, we have to move on to different communities to find out the problem and their solutions.