Desk Report,
Concerns over human rights mission, decision made without discussion not fair: Salahuddin Ahmed
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has expressed concern over the launch of the UN High Commission for Human Rights mission in Dhaka. He said that the human rights situation in Gaza, Palestine is much worse than in Bangladesh. But the UN is not doing much there. This decision taken by the interim government without consultation with political parties was not justified.
Concerns over human rights mission, decision made without discussion not fair: Salahuddin Ahmed
Salahuddin Ahmed said this while participating in a roundtable discussion organized at the DRU auditorium in the capital on Monday. The roundtable discussion titled ‘Determination of what to do based on the agreement regarding the UN Human Rights Commission office in Dhaka’ is organized by Hefazat Islam Bangladesh. Salahuddin Ahmed commented that the interim government does not have the fundamental right to take any policy decisions. He said that in view of the deterioration of the human rights situation in the country during fascism and the killings that took place, the UN and the interim government may have felt the need to establish an office of the High Commission for Human Rights in Bangladesh. But the government has taken this decision without any discussion or agreement with the political parties, which is not fair.
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed said that the interim government needs to discuss with the political parties in making fundamental and major decisions. In addition, the political and religious culture in the country must also be taken into consideration. Salahuddin Ahmed believes that if an agreement to establish a mission of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights was reached through large-scale political discussions, there would not have been a controversy. He said that there is a time limit to review the establishment of the office on a contractual basis for three years. It will probably be reviewed after a year or two. The next government will decide whether to renew it after three years. He will advise the interim government to reconsider the establishment of this mission after examining everything. However, everyone expects that human rights be upheld in Bangladesh. Salahuddin Ahmed commented that there is a ‘terrible’ news regarding the appointment of a new UN resident representative in Dhaka. He said they have heard that the term of the current UN Resident Representative in Bangladesh is coming to an end. They have heard some objectionable things about the person who will replace him. Maybe the Bangladesh government will consider the matter before giving him permission. He does not want to say more openly about it. Because the matter is sensitive. He urged the interim government to scrutinize and decide on the new UN Resident Representative before approving him.
In the discussion, Hefazat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque said that they said that for the sake of the country and Islam, they cannot talk to anyone by looking at their faces.
President of Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party Mujibur Rahman Manju said that the situation is such that the police take bribes, and when there is a theft at home, the police have to be called. The issue of setting up a mission of the UN High Commission for Human Rights is also similar. They were told that the government wants to bring such a mission to stop Indian propaganda.
