Calling human rights 'a business', Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud said Friday that a conspiracy is underfoot to destabilize the country ahead of World Human Rights Day (December 10).
He came up with the remark while addressing a cheque handover ceremony of Bangladesh Journalists’ Welfare Trust organised by Chattogram Union of Journalists (CUJ) at Chattogram Press Club on Friday noon.
Hasan Mahmud, also information and broadcasting minister, alleged that attempts are being made to suppress some countries in the name of human rights.
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“People have been killed by hurling petrol bombs in the country, nevertheless those who simply issue written statements went missing,” he said.
Criticising the role of human rights organisations, the AL leader said, “Someone (human rights organisations) become vocal over the human rights of some terrorists but there is no voice over the killing of so many people by those terrorists. In the world there are some human rights organisations that basically do business with human rights.”
He also came down heavily on the global human rights organisations for their silence regarding the brutality by Israeli forces on innocent Palestinians.
The information and broadcasting minister claimed that the worst violation of human rights of Bangladesh was committed in 1975 through assassination of the family members of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Censuring the role of the people who issue statements on different issues especially human rights, Hasan Mahmud said it is their profession to give statements but recently they haven’t been found. “I’m a bit concerned whether they are infected with fever or dengue.”
Conducted by CUJ Joint General Secretary Saidul Islam, President Tapan Chakraborty, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Vice President Mohammad Shahidul Alam, former President of Chattogram Press Club Ali Abbas, Journalist Welfare Trust Member Kalim Sarwar, CUJ General Secretary Shamsul Islam and Senior Vice President Rubel Khan, among others, spoke on the occasion.