Workshop on human rights held at DU

A training workshop on human rights was held at the Applied Democracy Lab of Dhaka University on Monday, with speakers calling for greater youth engagement in human rights and democratic practices.

Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr Abdus Salam attended the workshop as the chief guest. Professor Mohammad Ainul Islam, Director of the Applied Democracy Lab, chaired the programme, while Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Professor Kazi Mahbubur Rahman attended as special guest.

Addressing the event, Professor Salam said the youth were the principal force in shaping the country’s future and stressed the need to ensure peaceful coexistence among people holding divergent views.

“A democratic society must be built on the basis of mutual respect and tolerance,” he said, urging young people to play a more active role in upholding human rights and democratic values.

He said social science and democracy, like conventional scientific disciplines, required research laboratories where new ideas could be developed and tested.

“In that respect, the Applied Democracy Lab is playing an important role,” he said, adding that training young people on human rights, democracy and related issues was a positive initiative that should be expanded.

A total of 38 students from 13 departments of Dhaka University participated in the workshop.