BNP alleges govt violates human rights

Condemning the police obstruction to their party's rally on the International Human Rights Day, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the government is violating all kinds of human rights in a bid to hang onto power, reports UNB.

"Bangladesh never witnessed such incidents of human rights violation, including enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing and repression on dissidents what have been happening over the last 10 years. The government is violating all types of human rights just to cling to power," he said.

Speaking at a press conference at the party's Naya Paltan central office, the BNP leader also alleged that human rights are being violated at every moment in the country.

"You've seen that the police have created a war-like situation in front of our office. We'd an announcement to bring out a rally to observe the UN-declared International Human Rights Day, and we had taken preparations for it. But we're told that action will be taken against us if we get down from our office," he told reporters.

Fakhrul said their party backed off their decision of taking out the rally as they do not want to engage in any confrontation and clash with police. "It's an apolitical programme on a global issue, human rights... we protest and condemn the police obstruction to our rally."

Many BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of the BNP office since morning for joining the rally, but huge police were deployed in front of the office and its adjoining areas following the announcement of the programme.

Later, Fakhrul held the press conference cancelling their scheduled rally programme.

He said protecting human rights in Bangladesh has become a big problem due to the government's continued repressive acts.

Referring to the statistics of Ain O Salish Kendra, the BNP leader said about 1599 people were killed being subjected to extrajudicial killings in the name of 'gunfights' in the last 10 years. "As per our count, it'll be about 2,000."

Besides, he said around 35,00000 people were made accused in over 100,000 cases just because of political dissent. "About 1,000 people were made enforced disappeared. It's a crime against humanity."

Fakhrul said those who express dissenting opinions are being arrested, intimidated, threatened and made disappeared, violating their human rights. "These incidents are happening regularly."

He said the government has committed a serious crime by destroying the country's election system which created social instability in the country.

The BNP leader said the government has 'unfairly' kept their chairperson Khaleda in jail 'out of political vengeance'. "She deserves bail, but she's not granted it. Her human right is being violated as she's not getting the scope for treatment."

He said the government should realise that people should not deprive of their rights. "They should keep it in mind that no problem can be resolved by shutting all the doors. All opposition leaders and activists, including Khaleda Zia, must be freed and people will have to be allowed to express their dissenting views to overcome the political crisis."