Sigma Huda (née Kabir; 1944/1945 – 17 July 2024) was a Bangladeshi lawyer. She was the founding president of Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA) and founder and secretary of Institute for Law and Development (ILD).[1]
Sigma Huda | |
|---|---|
সিগমা হুদা | |
| Born | Sigma Kabir 1944/1945 |
| Died | (aged 79) Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Spouse | Nazmul Huda |
| Father | Akbar Kabir |
| Relatives |
|
In 2007, she was awarded Pope John Paul II Wellspring of Freedom Award for dedicating her life to upholding human rights and combating injustice.[1] Her late husband, Nazmul Huda, was a former Bangladesh Nationalist Party government minister and barrister.
Career
editHuda was the lawyer of Anup Chetia alias Golap Barua, a leader of ULFA who filed for asylum in Bangladesh.[2]
Activism
editFrom 2004, Huda served as a United Nations special rapporteur on human trafficking. She was known for her views on prostitution. In her report for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, she said:
"The act of prostitution, by definition, joins together two forms of social power (sex and money) in one interaction. In both realms (sexuality and economics), men hold substantial and systematic power over women. In prostitution, these power disparities merge in an act which both assigns and re-affirms the dominant social status of men over the subordinated social status of women."[3]
"The demand for commercial sex is often further grounded in social power disparities of race, nationality, caste, and colour."[3]
Charges and convictions
editIn 2007, Huda was brought before a Bangladeshi court on bribery charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, whereupon she was sentenced to three years imprisonment as an accomplice to a bribe in the amount of Taka 2.40 crore (approximately US$400,000) for which her husband was convicted of abuse of power and corruption.[4]
The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of the judges and lawyers issued a statement on 2 September 2007, expressing concern that Huda had not been given a fair trial. He said it received reports indicating that the right to legal representation and the independence of the court had been severely affected during her trial. "Defense lawyers felt pressured, they had no opportunity to visit her in prison, and could only meet with her at the end of the hearings. They also had difficulties accessing the case files and other relevant information, thus compromising their ability to ensure an adequate defence."[5]
Personal life and death
editHuda was married to barrister Nazmul Huda, a former Bangladesh Nationalist Party minister, former leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), National Alliance (NA), and leader of Bangladesh Manabadhikar Party (BMP) until his death.[6][7] They had two daughters, Antara Selima Huda and Srabanti Amina Huda. They are lawyers in profession. Huda's sister, Khushi Kabir, is a social activist and her brother was Selim Kabir.[8]
Huda died in Dhaka on 17 July 2024, at the age of 79.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Sigma Huda wins 'Pope John Paul II Wellspring of Freedom Award'". The Daily Star. 17 August 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ Chauhan, Neeraj. "Ulfa neta back in India on Sheikh Hasina's order". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ^ a b Huda, S "Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights aspects of the victims of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Sigma Huda" for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, February 2006
- ^ "Huda gets 7 years, Sigma 3 yrs for graft". Daily Star. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
- ^ "United Nations Human Rights Special Rapporteur expresses concern about Sigma Huda's trial in Bangladesh". 3 September 2007. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018.
- ^ "Former BNP stalwart Nazmul Huda floating new alliance". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ "Nazmul Huda acquitted of extortion case". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ a b "Sigma Huda passes away". The Daily Star. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
Further reading
edit- Kabir, Khushi (24 June 2008). "Sigma Huda's case". The Daily Star.
- "SC asks HC to rehear appeal that set Nazmul Huda, Sigma free". New Age. 2 December 2014.
- "SC overturns HC acquittal". The Daily Star. 2 December 2014.
- "Nazmul Huda acquitted of extortion case". The Daily Star. 10 September 2015.
- "HC scraps Nazmul Huda's sentence". The Daily Star. 12 September 2015.
- Sarkar, Ashutosh (29 September 2015). "19 cases wait for HC rehearing". The Daily Star.