Drishtipat - Australia :: Human Rights Organisation on Bangladesh

From its inception Drishtipat has so far successfully completed four campaigns and many petitions and appeals. The Arsenic Project Campaign, the Tipu Sultan Campaign and the Cheye Dekho Campaign. Drishtipat's success came from all the compassionate people who came forward to support these humanitarian campaigns. Drishtipat hopes to have continued support from all these people and more new ones in the future campaigns.
Current Projects:

	Drishtipat 20K Challenge gave grants to 5 projects. From helping build school dormitories to helping build senior citizen center, these grants help in providing help where help would not need reach typically. Website

;	Saving Bhobodoho: Drishtipat Virigina Helping with the education of village bhobodoho: victim of man-made natural diaster Website

	Rehabilitation of paralyzed people in Bangladesh via CRP - Drishtipat Australia Website

	Rehabilitation of Acid Victims: Drishtipat New York Website

	Project S: Sanitiation Project by Drishtipat Canada Website

	Garments workers rights - Drishtipat London Website:

	Arek Kansat -- Document a people's uprising Website

	Saving Madhabi - the domestic worker who was a victim of abuse Website

	ShipBreakers' story Website


Immediate Past Campaigns:

	From March 26th, 2005, Drishtipat started a new section on its website called "Tales of inspiration from Bangladesh". We are featuring stories from rural areas of Bangladesh of real people. These will be stories of hope, stories of never giving up and stories of courage. These will show how people of Bangladesh in spite of tremendous odds are fighing back against adversities. These will show the creative ways these people are fighing back against poverty and lack of opportunities. We aim to highlight these cases hoping that one day we will be able to institutionally support them at their unique endeavors.

	Uttorshuri, an internet forum for Bangla speaking from all over the world with technical help from Human rights organization, along with Drishtipat, has taken the initiative of this website as a mean of a constructive protest and to fulfill the need for documenting important historical events pertaining to Bangladesh . We all know that fact and truth about the events are one of the victims also; they soon fade from our collective conscience. In this context, we host this website to chronicle the bombing campaign that has been plaguing Bangladesh; follow up the investigations and legal proceedings involving these crimes and monitor the activities of the government of Bangladesh in dealing with this bombing campaign. Please visit and record your protest at Stop Violence Portal Site

	On April 11th, 2005, the 9 storied Garments Factory in Palashbari, Savar collapsed killing more than 70 people and injuring many more. Authorities now say that the factory, at Palashbari Savar, 32km from Dhaka, collapsed because of its poor construction on reclaimed marshland. This incident is the latest in a series that reflects inadequate enforcement of safety standards in the garments industry. Detailed report on this incident and the aftermath can be found here. While much needs to be done in the long term to implement systemic changes to prevent the recurrence of such disasters, in the immediate short term, assistance needs to be provided to those families who have lost their main bread-earner and to those workers who have been permanently disabled. As a step in that direction, Drishtipat has partnered with Uttorshuri to initiate an on-line fundraising effort.


Past Campaigns

	Women of 71 campaign Drishtipat, with the help of Ain O Shalish Kendro, has identified seven such women who made supreme sacrifices in the war of liberation of Bangladesh, but are in desperate need of financial assistance to live their lives with dignity. It is bad enough that they never got justice for the barbaric crime against them. But it is unacceptable to any conscientious human being to see them lead a life of indignity and extreme poverty. Please stop by at the website we have prepared after a lot of hard work to honor these brave women (website for women of 71). Listen to their stories and make a difference to the lives of Najma, Halima, Fatema, Rokeya, Jolekha, Ameerjaan and Shohorbanu - our unsung heroes of the war. Your donation will go to the liberation war museum which in turn will give the money on a trust fund for a prosperous future for these women.. Campaign website Implmentation Report

	Ahmadiya Persecution Drishtipat is helping Naeem Mohaiemen to screen his documentary Muslims or Heretics to raise awareness for the rights of the minority Ahmadiyya commnunity. The screenings are beingwidely attended and a lively discussion session follows. Website Implementation Report

	Arsenic Campaign Project: In September 2002, Drishtipat completed its third fundraiser for the Arsenic victims in West Shapania village. The fund collected has been a little more than what we targeted. Our original target was $3500 and we collected $3850. The collected money will be channelled to Brotee via Bangladesh Environment Network. Brotee already started mobilizing the village people to form Gono Gobeshona Dal. The money will be utilized for the pond preservation (safe drinking water solution) and treatment of the Arsenicosis victims. Campaign Website Implementation Report

	Campaign Tipu Sultan: Medical Treatment of an Oppressed Journalist In early 2001, Drishtipat successfully publicized and raised over $16,000 for the medical treatment of journalist Tipu Sultan. Sultan was investigating Feni crime boss and ex-Member of Parliament, Joynal Hazari, and was almost killed by Hazari's paid thugs. Tipu was treated in a Bangkok hospital and has now recovered and got back to his life. Campaign Website Implementation Report

	Cheye Dekho : Rehabilitation of the minority oppression victims of Annada Prasahd The village Annada Prashad in the district of Bhola, Bangladesh, predominated by the Hindu community, saw unprecedented violence upon them immediately preceding and after the general election of 2001. Almost two hundred women were raped and hundreds of families were rendered homeless. The political thugs came down heavily on the members of the Hindu community. Drishtipat launched the campaign to help rehabilitate the victims of Annada Prashad village. The Campaign Website The Implementation Report

	Saving Mithu In December 2003, after getting viciously beaten by the ruling class, the case of Mithu is a repeat affair of Tipu Sultan from a three years ago. He was left for dead. His right hand had been crushed and he has neurological problems from having been beaten on the back of his head with a chaapaati. The attack was seen as areprisal for his reporting on the local MPs' attoricities on the local people. Drishtipat raised almost three thousand dollars from individual and corporate donation. Campaign Website Implementation Report

Natural Disasters

	Warm cloth drive Ektu Ushnota Chai, Manusher Kache January, 2003:: Only last night another 79 people died in Bangladesh cold wave. One sweater for 75 cents could have saved one of those lives. Drishtipat urged you to come forward and to donate for this humanitarian cause. Almost $8900 was raised in a week and warm clothes were bought. Campaign Website Implementation Report

	Emergency Flood Campaign September 2004: Drishtipat helped SpandaanB and Volunteers Association of Bangladesh to collect funds for the flood victims. Drishtipat alsodonated to each of these organization from its rapid response fund. Drishtipat also gathered a list of credible organizations which are involved in Bangladesh's Flood Relief Work for 2004. This list provided interested donors a background of specific organizational projects and activities centering the flood victims. Campaign Website Implementation Report

From Ferry disaster to pushing in of people in the India-Bangladesh border, Drishtipat has raised various appeals at various times. If you want to take a look at our past petitions and appeals, visit the following page. To see what press said about these projects, visit the Drishtipat Virtual Press Box

Some of Drishtipat Appeals and Petitions for Raising Awareness: Drishtipat Letters

	July 2003:Murder in Meghna Another day, another ferry capsizes. This time, the number nears around 600, although the true number of dead will never be known. Could this been avoided ??? More

	June 2003: Rapid increase against sexual violence against women Recent breakdown of law and order in Bangladesh has resulted in an alarming rise of horrifying violence against women. Drishtipat protests the recent incidents and calls for more attention from the government in this issue and asks for swift action and exemplary punishment of the criminals. Alarming rise in Rape Incidents (updated) More women commits suicide facing harrassment Repeatedly "raping" a raped woman - By Mahfuz Anam

	February 2003: Pushin at the border As an organization concerned with the protection of fundamental rights, Drishtipat members are joining voices with many others inside and beyond the country to express concern at the latest violence at the border with innocent human lives being at stake. More

	November, 2002: 4 Journalist arrested Drishtipat issued strong protest, petition and regular update on the status of 4 journalists who were arrested for "sedition". More

	June 2001: Journalists threatened ...Therefore we would like to urge your kind attention to take immediate action against the criminals, regardless of their party affiliation, of recent cases of atrocities against the journalists. For the longer term solution of this problem, we would like to urge you to create a new stringent law to protect the journalists. The punishment should be harsh and quick against any one who commits a crime against the journalists. Also the police officials, who violated the law by physically abusing the journalists carrying out their professional duties and whose conduct has been termed "barbaric" by the home minister, must be punished after proper investigation. More

	February 2002: Appeal for the migrant workers stuck in Saudi Arabia in subhuman condition We, like all other fellow Bangladeshis, are deeply saddened to learn about the conditions of some Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. We came to know about their conditions in several internet discussion groups and are calling for the authorities to take swift measures. More

	December, 2001: Matir Moina MATIR MOINA provides a nuanced and subtle view of Islam, rather than the stereotypical Islam-bashing of western media. We believe the FCB of Bangladesh has committed a grave error by banning this film. This action will only give ammunition to those who portray Islamic culture as rigid and unyielding. Rather than protecting religious sentiments, the ban will only stifle open discussion and progressive change. We urge the FCB to reconsider their decision and give the film the censorship clearance necessary for its domestic release in Bangladesh. More