Nirupa Dewan

Dewan was born to Suprava Dewan and Pravat Ranjan Dewan.{{Cite web |title=Moanoghar Supravat Memorial Scholarship |url=https://www.moanoghar.org/admin/public/files/pdf/download_1276ac04ab0290883a80a488ade3e8e5.pdf |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=Moanoghar}} She established the Moanoghar Supravat Memorial Scholarship with her brother Robin Dewan in memory of their parents. She graduated from Aparnacharan City Corporation Girls' High School and College in 1968 and Chittagong College in 1970. She finished a Bachelor of Arts at Chittagong College in 1973. She completed a B.Ed. and M.Ed. at the Government Teachers' Training College, Dhaka in 1978 and 1991 respectively.

Dewan joined the Rangamati Government Girls' High School in 2005 and retired as the principal in 2009.

On 24 June 2010, President Zillur Rahman appointed Dewan member of the National Human Rights Commission replacing Professor Giasuddin Molla.{{Cite web |title=Law and Our Rights |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/law/2010/07/01/week.htm |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=archive.thedailystar.net}} Mollah had been terminated after his appointment following an allegation of sexual harassment from a student at the University of Dhaka, where he taught.{{Cite web |last= |title=Prof Molla fired from NHRC |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/prof-molla-fired-from-nhrc |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Bdnews24.com |language=en}}

Dewan participated in a human chain demanding the full implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 2013.{{Cite web |date=2013-04-29 |title=Stop fratricidal conflict among political parties in CHT |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/stop-fratricidal-conflict-among-political-parties-in-cht |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} She visited Banshkhali Upazilaafter the 2013 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence by Bangladesh Jamaat e Islami.{{Cite web |date=2013-03-10 |title=Safety is all they want |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/safety-is-all-they-want |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} The violence started after the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayeedi to death for war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War. She demanded an investigation into the attack on the Chakma queen, Rani Yan Yan, by security forces after she went to visit two Marma sisters raped by security personnel.{{Cite web |date=2018-02-20 |title=Conduct impartial probe into 'attack' on Chakma queen |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/conduct-impartial-probe-attack-chakma-queen-1537285 |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Attack on Chakma Queen condemned - |url=https://www.observerbd.com/news/123254 |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Daily Observer}} In 2019, she received the IPDC-Prothom-alo Priyo Shikkhok Shommanona Award from Prothom Alo and IPDC Finance Limited.{{Cite web |title=NEWS AND INSIGHTS |url=https://www.ipdcbd.com/home/newsdetails/236/en |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.ipdcbd.com |language=en}}

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, Dewan met with the chief advisor Muhammad Yunus of the interim government at Jamuna State Guest House along with other women leaders.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-20 |title=Women leaders meet chief adviser with proposals for reform |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/rights/news/women-leaders-meet-chief-adviser-proposals-reform-3682121 |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Women leaders demand treatment of injured persons, formation of judiciary reform commission |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/women-leaders-demand-treatment-of-injured-persons-formation-of-judiciary-reform-commission |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Financial Express |language=en}} She was included in a Women Affairs Reform Commission established by the new regime. She attended a meeting of the Constitutional Reform Commission led by Professor Ali Riaz in November 2024.

Dewan is the vice president of Moanoghar, a non-profit founded by Buddhist monks for development work in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.{{Cite web |last=Moanoghar |title=Moanoghar Executive commitee members |url=https://www.moanoghar.org/executive-committee |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.moanoghar.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Moanoghar |title=Our History |url=https://www.moanoghar.org/history |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.moanoghar.org |language=en}} Regarding the Kuki-Chin National Front she said, “Even a child could say who are behind the KNF, especially after watching their activities. Such groups work to destroy the main spirit of peace accord. And a powerful clique has been fanning them from behind. But this is nothing new in the hills. The government should never entertain them.”{{Cite web |last=Saha |first=Partha Shankar |date=2024-04-14 |title=Rise of KNF: Why does KNF oppose CHT Peace Accord and JSS? |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/homcngwpke |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=In Bandarban operation, Bangladesh targets Muslim militant-hill tribe rebel link |url=https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/counter-militant-operation-10282022160348.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241004121907/https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/counter-militant-operation-10282022160348.html |archive-date=2024-10-04 |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=Benar News |language=en}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Bangladeshi human rights activists

Category:Chittagong College alumni