Feature

Seminar on Law of Refugees held at CU

Tabassum Mokhduma

On 15th November 2007, Faculty of Law, University of Chittagong (CU), in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) organized a day-long seminar on “Law of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) : National and International Perspectives” at Conference Room of the Faculty of Law, CU. Professor Anwarul Azim, former Vice-Chancellor, Premier University and former Pro-Vice-Chancellor, CU graced the occasion as Chief Guest whereas Mr.Francis Teoh, Snr.Protection Officer, UNHCR Representation in Bangladesh was present as Special Guest. Other notables present were Associate Professor Md. Zakir Hossain, Dean, Faculty of Law, CU, Dr. Abdullah Al Faruque, Chairman, Department of Law, CU and Teachers from Different Departments from CU.A total of 70 students from CU's Department of Law, Department of Anthropology, Department of Public Administration, Department of Sociology and Department of International Relation were selected to take part in this seminar.

The programme was divided into two sessions. The inaugural session started with the welcome speech of Mr. A.B.M. Abu Noman, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, CU. After that, Mr. Uttam Kumar Das, National Protection Officer, UNHCR, Bangladesh, conducted a brief presentation on behalf of UNHCR on Refugees. He informed the participants about different statistics on Refugees, activities of UNHCR, steps taken to protect the rights of the refugees etc.

The Special Guest and the Chief Guest also spoke in this session. In his speech, Mr. Teoh said, “We have different options in life, but the refugees have nothing. They are not in a holiday where they are living, they are living there because they don't have any other options”. Professor Azim told that there are no particular law for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). He wished that UNHCR will always be there to ensure the rights of the refugees. At the end of this session, Mr. Teoh handed over different publications of UNHCR on refugees for the students to Mr. Md. Zakir Hossain, Dean, Faculty of Law, CU.

In the working session, three important papers on refugees were presented. Dr. Abdullah Al Faruque, Chairman, Department of Law, CU presented his paper on “International Legal Protection of Refugees”where he emphasized on International Legal Norms on Protection of the Refugee, Interference between Refugee Protection and Human Rights, Durable Solutions of Refugee Problems etc. Professor Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed, Chairman, Department of Anthropology, CU discussed on the paper where he highlighted that women refugees are facing more difficulties than men refugees.

After this presentation, Associate Professor Md. Zakir Hossain, Dean, Faculty of, CU, presented his paper on “Refugee Protection in Bangladesh : A Study of Law and Practice”. In his paper he pointed out the Reasons Attributed for Non-accession to 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocol, Legal Framework to Protect Refugees in Bangladesh, Complementary Laws Protecting Refugees, Reasons Why Bangladesh Should Adopt Refugee Law etc. Associate Professor Md. Morshed Mahmud Khan, Ex-Dean, Faculty of Law, CU discussed on this paper where he mentioned that we should go to the roots to solve the problems of the Refugees.

The last paper presented on the day was on “Protecting Internally Displaced Persons IDPs) under International Law” by Professor Dr. M. Shah Alam, Ex-Dean, Faculty of Law, CU. In his paper he mainly focused on the Problem of Definition of IDPs, Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (GPID), Institutional Framework to Provide Assistance to IDPs etc. Assistant Professor Dr. Ridwanul Hoque of Department of Law, CU discussed on this paper where he mentioned that existing international normative and institutional framework is insufficient to deal with the problems of IDPs. The whole working session was moderated by Professor Abdun Noor, Department of Public Administartion, CU.

The programme came to an end with the open discussion where the participants of the seminar also took part. While replying to a question, Mr. Teoh said ,“Bangladesh alone cannot change the whole situation of the refugees, but can surely contribute to changing their lives".

(3rd year LL-B Honours, Department of Law, CU)