Minister for Information and Broadcasting Hasan Mahmud on Monday said that human rights stand weaponised by some countries in today's world, to be used against those they oppose.
It is needed to stop doing business and using human rights as arms in home and abroad, he said.
The minister said this while addressing a human chain organised by ‘Mayer Kanna’, a platform of family members of victims of enforced disappearance during Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime, in front of Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka on Monday.
“Human rights are today weaponised by some developing and advanced countries. Human rights are now used as arms to oppress people,” he said.
Hasan Mahmud, also joint general secretary of Awami League (AL), said those who dislike the continuation of advancement under leadership of Premier Sheikh Hasina, first bring human rights under several guises and then talk about a fair election.
Clarifying the government’s stance about the upcoming national election, the AL leader said, “An internationally recognized election in participation with people will be held in a smooth, fair and neutral manner in our country.”
The government will cooperate with the election commission by all means, he assured.
Pointing to democratic backsliding in the US itself, he reminded that Donald Trump is yet to accept his defeat. But most of the defeated candidates in Bangladesh concede the I & B minister asserted.
“Please don’t come to teach us democracy, nobody is subjected to killing through attacking our parliament bhaban and cordoning it off,” the ruling party’s senior minister said, adding that democracy is absent in most of the countries who want to teach them (Bangladesh) democracy.
“Please don’t come to teach us democracy to those who topple elected governments in countries in the name of human rights and democracy,” he said.
Regarding the treatment of BNP Chairperson Begum Zia abroad, the information minister alleged that the BNP is using Khaleda Zia as a guinea pig for political interest.
He said BNP has been saying for a few days that their chairperson’s rights are being violated, her life is in danger and will die if she is not taken abroad. But she has recovered and gone home every time.
The AL leader said the government has sincerely been working to ensure the best treatment of the former prime minister and taking Khaleda Zia abroad is a court’s jurisdiction.
Don’t politicise Khaleda Zia’s abroad treatment as she won’t go abroad without an order from the court, he said.
Hasan Mahmud warned that any attempts to create anarchy like in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in the country will be resisted strictly.
Chaired by Mayer Kanna’s president Karmruzzaman, AL’s Organizing Secretary Sujit Roy Nandy, former Statement Minister Tarana Halim and relatives of the victims spoke at the human chain.
