They also made an action plan to form a unity among South Asian states on security concepts, ensuring security to human rights activists and organising a human rights fair at South Asian level highlighting significance of peace and justice.

Human rights organisations Odhikar and South Asia Network against Torture and Impunity (SANTI) in collaboration with Academy for Educational Development (AED) organised the discussion on 'Security and Law: South Asian Perspective' at Spectra Convention Centre in the city.

On the second day, a discussion was held on 'South Asian Challenges: Role of Human Rights Defenders'. Odhikar Adviser Farhad Mazhar presented a keynote paper on the topic while Prof Buddhadeb Chaudhuri, coordinator, SANTI moderated the programme.

He urged the human rights defenders to raise their voices against communalism and racism.

Zahiruddin Swapan, MP, Altafur Rahman of FORUM-ASIA, Dr Shahid Zia of Pakistan, Prof Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University, Shabnam Hashmi of India, Subodh Pyakurel of Nepal and Mohmed Reffaideen Mohamed Malik of Sri Lanka addressed the function.