Inu trashes statements of US embassy, UN

Information minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Tuesday rejected the statements of US embassy and UN office in Dhaka about the attacks on students demanding safe roads, saying those did not portray the real picture, reports UNB.

“The US embassy’s statement is unfortunate as it didn’t portray the real picture of the reality in Dhaka. We reject the statement and urge them to withdraw it,” he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat.

“There was no incident of suppression through brutal attacks on students during their movement and there’s no such report in the media, too. The students had gathered in different parts of the city and no attack was carried out on them,” the minister said, adding that such statement is tantamount to poking nose into the internal affairs of Bangladesh and it is devoid of courtesy.

The US embassy in Dhaka in a statement on Sunday said, “Nothing can justify the brutal attacks and violence over the weekend against the thousands of young people who have been peacefully exercising their democratic rights in supporting a safer Bangladesh.”

The United Nations (UN) on Sunday urgently called upon all parties to keep everyone—including children and young people—safe on the roads and safe from any kind of violence.

“UN agencies are increasingly concerned for the safety of children and young people caught up in recent protests over road safety in Dhaka and other parts of the country,” the UN office in Dhaka said in a statement shared on its official Facebook page.

The information minister termed the statement ‘unprecedented’ and ‘unwarranted’, saying it is not right.

Inu also urged the UN office and the US embassy to refrain from issuing such statements and portray the true picture of Bangladesh instead of giving it a different colour.

Referring to the attacks on journalists, he said actions will be taken against those responsible.

“According to the government’s policy, it’s our responsibility to protect journalists. A letter has been sent to the home ministry for identifying the attackers and bringing them under the ambit of law. The home minister has already assured us verbally of taking steps,” the information minister said.

Responding to a query, he said they received the photos of the attackers and the law enforcement agencies are working to identify them.

At least seven photojournalists were injured in attacks by unruly youths in Jhigatala and Science Laboratory areas of the city on Sunday while taking snaps of an attack on protesting students.

Witnesses said a group of youths, believed to be Bangladesh Chhatra League activists, equipped with sharp weapons and sticks swooped on some photojournalists while performing their duties, leaving seven of them injured.

Three more journalists—special correspondent of sarabangla.net Golam Samdani, Mohona TV staff reporter Mainul Hossain Pinnu and Banglavision staff reporter—were injured in attacks while discharging their duties, according to Dhaka Reporters’ Unity.

Talking about the Dhanmondi incident, Inu said, “A vested quarter is involved in instigating people to carry out attack on the Awami League office in Dhanmondi and a clash broke out between police and some instigators in the area.”

He also said they were identifying those trying to achieve political gains keeping guns on the shoulders of students.