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Rights & Duties of Citizens

Article in SSRN Electronic Journal · January 2008

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.1116902

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Md. Joynal Abdin

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI)
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The topic of my assignment is “Rights & Duties of citizens”.
Before describing rights & duties let’s discuss what is citizen
means? Who are citizen?
The term “citizen” can be understood in a narrow or in a board
sense. In a narrow sense it means the resident of a city or one
who enjoy the privilege of living in a city. In a board sense
citizen means a person who resides within the territorial limits of
the state. Speaking in terms of political science, citizen means
a person who is in the members of the state & who enjoys
social & political rights. In our country an adult of eighteen years
of age enjoys, regardless of the distinction of cast, color and
creed, education property and resident.

According to Aristotle: Citizen is he who has a power to take

part in the deliberative or judicial administration of any state in
said by us to be a citizen of that state.
On the basis of the description we can identify following factors
of a citizen: A citizen is;
I. The member of the state.
II. The social & political rights.
III. Sentiment of devotion to the state.

Now I would like to describe what is Rights? How many rights

are there of a citizen? Who will ensure these rights of citizens?
Rights are those conditions of social life without which no man
can seek to be himself at his best.
In another way we can say that, rights are what we may expect
from others and others from us, and all genuine rights are the
conditions of social welfare. Thus the rights anyone may clime
are partly whose which are essential for every man in order to
be a rational human person, and partly whose which are
necessary for the fulfillment of the function that society aspect
from him. They are conditioned by and correlative to his social
responsibilities.

I
 Types of rights: There are three types of primary rights. These
are Natural rights, Moral rights & Legal rights. Legal rights can
be defining in three categories. These are, Fundamental rights,
Political rights & Social or civil rights.
Righ

Natural Moral Legal

Ri h Ri h i h

Fundamental Political Social / Civil

Ri h Figure:-
Ri h Classification
i h of Rights.
Right: Rights are those conditions of social life which is very
essential for a person to do well performance. In a sentence we
can say that, all genuine rights are conditions of social welfare.
Natural Rights: By natural rights we mean those rights which
were enjoyed by the people even before the origin of the state.
These rights were enjoyed by the people in the state of nature.
Such as,
1. Rights of life: From the ancient age people are living as a
social being. The origin of state was not invaded then.
Keep his life it is the number one right of all. Not only
human being but also all the livings have this right. We
should ensure this right to all.
2. Rights to property: One can have property & he has this
right to secure his property. Ensure the security of ones
property is one of the major duties of the state.
3. Rights to freedom, etc. these rights people enjoyed before
the origin of state, for this these are the natural rights.
Moral rights: These rights depend on the ethical feelings of man
and they are not guarantied by any legal authority. Such as,
1. Parents have the rights that they should be assist by the
children in their old age.
2. Obey to elders and affection to younger: Older have right
to find salute from the younger. As the same way younger
have right to find affection / love from the older.
3. Obey to teachers: Teachers have these moral rights that,
his students will salute him and obey to him.

II
 4. Do not smock at the teachers, etc are moral rights of
people from any citizens.
Legal rights: The rights which are granted to man by law and
are protected by law are known as legal rights. For example; in
our country every individual are enjoyed the rights of life and
property. And if a strong person attempt to usurp these rights by
the use of force he is liable to be tried by legal authority. These
days’ women also have the legal rights to inherence her
property. In a certain situations they have legal rights to divorce.

Fundamental rights: Fundamental rights are those rights which

are essential to live well. Such as,
a. Rights to equality: All people have right to be treated
equally. Man, woman, race or color, religion and political
identity are not factor. Government should ensure equality
of citizens in government service.
b. Rights to liberty: One has rights to enjoy his life without
disturbing others.
c. Freedom of religion: One can be followers of any religion.
Doing religious activities of any religion without any
disrobe is his fundamental right.
d. Rights to education: Every one have right to be educated.
Government should ensure proper education for all. Poor /
wealthy should not classify in the field of education.
Government should bear all liabilities of a student. So that
he can study well and earn adequate knowledge.
e. Rights to taking food: All living being have to take food to
live. Taking food is the most important right of human
being. State should ensure every peoples food.
f. Rights to wearing cloths: As a social being all person have
to wear cloths. So it is his fundamental right.
g. Rights to make house: As a family oriented animal all
people have right to make house & live with his family.
h. Rights to founding justice: As a citizen all people have
right to ensure his right. If anyone disturbed him or does
not fulfill his right then he has right to go to court and
government should ensure independent judicial activities,
etc are the fundamental rights of citizens.

III
Political rights: Political rights are those rights which enable the
individual in the capacity of a citizen in the political life and
affairs of the country. Such as,
i. Rights to vote: Every one have right to elect his
leader or representative. Giving vote without any
noise is all people’s political right.
ii. Rights to contest elections: All people have this right
to be a member of parliament. To be a people
representative is his political right.
iii. Rights to public office: All citizen’s have right to find a
government service without any classification. All
people have rights to hold any government post.
iv. Rights to petition: All people have equal rights in the
eyes of law. When he think that his rights are not
ensured then he has rights to petition to Judge.
v. Rights to criticize the government: All citizens have
right to welcome government good activities and to
criticize government bad activities.
Social / civil rights: Social rights are ensuring to the people for
the progress of mankind and the welfare of society. These
rights include;
I. Rights to life & security: All citizens have to life
and living in secure environment. Government
should ensure peoples security at any cost.
II. Rights to family: As a social being all people
have right to live with his family.
III. Right to property: One can hold property. It is his
right; state should ensure his and his property’s
security in any way at any how.
IV. Right to work: All people have right to work and
live. So government should arrange his work.
V. Right to contract: One can interact to any
people, no one have to make barriers. But his
contract should be social.
VI. Right to speech: One can speak his idea,
knowledge, opinion freely.

IV
 VII. Right to religion: One can follow any religion;
government should ensure security to all
religious people.
VIII. Right to liberty & free movement: One can enjoy
anything without harming others. One can do
anything freely but it should not harmful for the
society or any people.
IX. Right to association: One can organize a
association to achieve his better facilities. One
can make a political party or such like this, no
political party should avoid him.
X. Right to equality: One have rights to find equal
rights in every field of life as his qualification /
quality.
XI. Right to education, etc is the social / civil rights.

Duties of citizens:
Since individuals constitute society, they form the units of
society. As a member of society of a state a man must behave
in way which is good for all and which is helpful in promoting
the welfare of society. Society calls upon the individuals to
follow certain norms. These are obligations or duties. A duty is
an obligation. As a member of state the intervals have to
Dutiescoins.
concern these sides of the same of
ii

Moral Legal Fundamental

d i d i d i
Figure: Duties of citizens.
Moral duties: Moral duties are those obligations which we
should observe but we are not legally bound to observe them. It
is our moral duty that:
a. We should serve our parents.
b. We should serve our teachers.
c. We should serve our brothers.
d. We should serve our sisters.
e. We should serve our relatives.
f. We should serve our neighbors.

V
 g. Helping the poor.
h. Look after his family.
i. Earn money in fare means.
j. We should serve our village.
k. We should serve our state.
l. We should serve our world.

Legal duties: Legal duties are these duties which are must have
to perform by any one. One is bound to perform legal duties;
otherwise he has to face judicial activities. These are:
i. Obey to constitutions of the state.
ii. Obey to command of law.
iii. Pay the taxes honestly & regularly.
iv. To remain loyal to our country.
v. Try best to defend the country.

Fundamental duties: Fundamental duties of citizens are written

in constitution of a country. Such as,
I. To abide by the constitution and respect its
deals and institutions, the national flag and
national anthem;
II. To cherish and follow the noble ideals which
inspired our national struggle for freedom;
III. To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity
and integrity of the country.
IV. To defend the country and render national
service when called upon to do;
V. To promote harmony and the spirit of common
brotherhood amongst all people of the country
transcending religious, linguistic, regional
diversity & dignity of women.
VI. To value and preserve the rich heritage of the
composite culture.
VII. To protect and improve the national
environment including forest, lake, rivers, wild
animals and compressors living creatures.
VIII. To develop the scientific temper, humanism
and spirit of inquiry reform.

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 IX. To safeguard public property and to abjure
violence.
X. Follow the all parts of constitutions.

VII

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