Society of Justice, a local human rights organisation, conducted the survey titled 'State of Human Rights in Bangladesh: Citizen's Perception' on 321 respondents belonging to 18 professions across the country during a period from October to November 2005.

According to the survey, 69 percent of the respondents identified the political unrest as the main cause of law and order deterioration while 12.77 percent blamed both politics and economy.

The findings of the survey were presented at a seminar titled 'Rule of Law and Human Rights' at the BILIA auditorium in the city.

While reading out the summary of the survey findings, Dr AKM Saifullah said the respondents also blamed administrative failure, militancy and poverty for law and order deterioration.

He said most of the respondents are not happy with the present law and order situation.

About 38.01percent respondents defined good society as peaceful and politically stable one, 26.48 percent as rule of law, while 19.94 percent as rule of religion, he added.

Dr Saifullah said most of the respondents think that the civil society members have some responsibilities in ensuring better law and order, but they are not playing their due role.

Former chief advisor of the caretaker government Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman said people are losing faith in judiciary.

He said magistracy in the country is not independent.

"It is better to work with the existing laws," he said, adding that enacting stringent law is easy but implementation is much more difficult.

Deputy High Commissioner of Australia Richard Rodgers, European Commission Delegate Jenni Christensen, Programme Officer of ICCO- Netherlands Nellie van der Pasch and General Secretary of Society of Justice Advocate Mahbubul Islam also spoke.