PM Hasina asks envoys to stay vigilant against anti-state propaganda

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked the Bangladeshi diplomats to stay vigilant against any kind of anti-state propaganda so that the international community would not be confused and misled.

“I would like to say that the foreign ministry should provide propaganda related information to the envoys in different countries. If it can be done, they (who spread falsehoods) would not get any chance to create confusion,” she said.

She also added, “We should be more active in the places where there are international organisations. So, they (international community) also would not be misled and confused (through the propaganda and misinformation).”

The prime minister issued these directives while addressing the conference of Bangladeshi envoys in Europe at her place of residence in Italy.

She said that there are some people who have taken shelter abroad after committing crimes as they are spreading misinformation against the country.

“There are some people who could never take the country to a dignified position and some criminals who took shelter abroad after committing crimes are spreading misinformation against the country,” she said, adding, “everyone should be aware against them.”

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen and prime minister’s private industry and investment adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman were also present at the programme.

Criticising opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the prime minister said they siphoned off a huge amount of money out of the country, so they are not capable of spending thousands of crore of money on the country. “How much do they have? They are leading lavish lives, carrying out propaganda and misleading the people,” she said.

Some people who have lost their jobs for various reasons such as corruption or crime, are now spreading propaganda against the government as well as Bangladesh staying abroad.

“I don’t know from where they get so much money.”

Sheikh Hasina said if anyone searches, he/she will see some familiar faces and they spread false information and propaganda everywhere.

Mentioning that many a time, foreigners get confused by misinformation, she said there are one or two countries that remain busy with how to remove the Awami League prior to every election.

“In addition, we have to hear about human rights from those who shelter the murderers as well as the people involved in arson attacks, terrorism and militancy,” she added.

The prime minister said they are busy with protecting the human rights of those who are accused of arson attack, but they don’t care about the victims, people who lost their relatives and those who received burn injuries.

Regarding the sanctions against Rapid Action Battalion, the prime minister said “Unfortunately, sanctions are imposed on those who are engaged in preventing terrorism and militancy. Due to this (sanctions), they lose their confidence.”

“It leads people to get involved in crimes,” she added.

“On the one hand, they are raising their voice for human rights protection. On the other hand, they are advocating for human rights violators. These double standards continue worldwide”, she added.

The prime minister also mentioned her government’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorism and militancy.

Referring to human rights, she said if human rights are protected, it is done by the Awami League, but those who speak about human rights kill people.

Without taking name of any country, Sheikh Hasina said those who killed her parents, brothers, relatives and family members, are still at large in that country.

Despite repeated requests, she said, they didn’t send back the killers to Bangladesh.

She added that she considers giving protection to the violators of human rights and going against those who protect human rights as a game.

The prime minister said if they do not believe in human rights, how they will give shelter to Rohingyas.