Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud has alleged that the Human Rights Watch (HRW) is working for a particular group with a vested agenda.
The AL leader came up with the remarks from a press conference held at Chittagong Press Club on Friday, one day after Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal rejected a recent HRW report on enforced disappearances in Bangladesh.
“The HRW is a mercenary organisation which is working for a particular group only to question the activities of the incumbent government. We completely reject the recent report of the organisation which is baseless and biased,” said Mahmud.
“Strangely enough, the statements released by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and that of the HRW are identical,” he added.
The US-based rights organisation published an 82-page report, titled “‘We Don’t Have Him’: Secret Detentions and Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh”, on Wednesday.
According to the report, at least 90 people were victims of enforced disappearance in 2016 alone.
“As many as 21,000 leaders and activists of the AL became victims of enforced disappearance in five years sinne 2001. However, the human rights organisation did not come up with any statement at that time,” Mahmud alleged at the press conference.
He also mentioned that the HRW had earlier given statements against the execution of the war criminals in Bangladesh.
Regarding the withdrawal of UNESCO’s objection to the Rampal power plant, he said: “We have shown information in favour of the Rampal power plant and that’s why the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO withdrew its objection to the setting up of the plant. The withdrawal testifies that the government was in the right direction.”
AL Orginising Secretary Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, AL’s Chittagong north district unit President Nurul Alam Chowdhury were present at the press conference.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
