Amnesty‍‍`s statement a conspiracy against country: Info minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has came down heavily on Amnesty International, saying its recent statement about Bangladesh is a conspiracy against the country.

"We saw in the newspapers that Amnesty International gave a statement, urging to screen the employees who are working in the RAB or who are involved in violating the human rights in our country and not to deploy them on peacekeeping missions of the United Nations," he said.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a discussion titled ‍‍`74 years‍‍` Glory, Heritage, Struggle and Success‍‍` marking the 74th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Awami League, one of the country‍‍`s oldest political parties, at Bangabandhu Hall in Chattogram Press Club on Saturday.

Awami League (AL), Chattogram North district unit, organised the discussion with its president MA Salam in the chair.

Hasan said everyone knows the Amnesty as Irene Khan, a close relative of Tarique Rahman, was the general secretary of the organization and she is involved with it till now.

He said Amnesty International gave a statement to stop the trial of the war criminals when the trials had begun. But, the organization didn‍‍`t make any statement against the torching and killing carried out by BNP-Jamaat in 2013, 2014 and 2015, he added.

Hasan said everyone knows that how the statements of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are made, where those are drafted and what they get in exchange for their statements. 

He said the organization (Amnesty) remained silent when people were killed like birds in Palestine. In fact, they have no ethical rights to make statements on these issues of Bangladesh, he added.

Urging all to remain alert, the information minister said the conspirators of the country have joined with the two organizations. The statement has no value and there is no need to be confused, he added.

He said the evil forces from home and abroad are hatching conspiracies against the country when Bangladesh is marching ahead indomitably to reach the destination dreamt by Bangabandhu and the Freedom Fighters under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Conspiracy has begun against the country, he noted.

For this, he said, lobbyists have been appointed against the country on behalf of BNP-Jamaat. As part of the conspiracy, they have bought a few statements and letters of some congressmen or European parliament members through spending millions of dollars, he added.

About the general elections, Hasan said the next polls is to protect the land and sovereignty of Bangladesh whether the country would turn into Pakistan or move ahead on the path of progress and development under the supervision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It will be decided in the next polls, he added.

Terming the polls as a challenging one, the minister said it will be decided in the elections whether the country will have sovereignty or a part of the sea will be taken away.

He urged the AL leaders and activists to be united and to remain alert against the country. 

He also urged them to present the unprecedented development and progress made in the last 14 and a half years before the countrymen.

AL Chattogram North district unit general secretary Sheikh Ataur Rahman, vice president and Freedom Fighter Professor Moinuddin, ATM Pearul Islam, Abul Kalam Azad, Aftab Uddin Chowdhury and organising secretary Khadizatul Anowar Sony, among others, took part in the discussion.