The newly formed Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Peace of the 13th Parliament on Wednesday said it would work to help ensure a transparent and accountable government and an impartial judiciary for the next generation.

The caucus expressed this optimism at its first meeting held at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, with its President Fahima Nasrin in the chair.

The members stressed the need to maintain communication with national and international organisations, agencies and universities working on human rights.

They also emphasised ensuring the participation of caucus members in relevant meetings, seminars and research activities to expand the scope of its work.

Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, the patron of the caucus, attended the meeting along with its members Humam Quader Chowdhury, Sayeed Al Noman, Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, Muhammad Nazibur Rahman, Md Abul Hasnat, Jahrat Adib Chowdhury, Sanjida Islam and Anna Minj.

At the outset, the participants observed a one-minute silence in memory of the victims of enforced disappearances, murders and extrajudicial killings.

During discussions on the newly formed caucus's work plan, the Deputy Speaker said the caucus was formed to identify those responsible for human rights violations in the past and the victims, to present an acceptable picture of the incidents and work carefully and with vigilance to prevent such violations in the future.

He called for giving due importance to ensuring that human rights violators do not attempt to portray themselves as victims.

Noting that no such parliamentary caucus had previously been formed in Bangladesh, Kayser Kamal said all concerned should work together as a team to make it an effective body.

He called for cooperation among the relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, to establish the caucus as a strong institutional framework.