Dhaka, Dec 10 – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday warned that the current government must be tried by the people’s court for the violation of human rights and indulgence in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
“Over 3.5 million people have been made accused in false cases while around 900 fell victim to enforced disappearances. Several thousand people have also been killed by the government,” he alleged.
Speaking at a virtual discussion, the BNP leader said, “The violation of human rights by Awami League has now become a normal affair. They’re breaching the Constitution by violating human rights. That’s why they must stand in people’s court in the near future.”
BNP’s human rights team arranged the programme, marking the World Human Rights Day that was observed on Thursday across the globe. Diplomats and representatives from different countries and international bodies took part in the discussion.
Fakhrul said the people need to be aware of their human rights by observing the international day. “We must get united to get rid of the current situation and restore our rights.”
The BNP leader many of their party’s leaders and activists were victims of enforced disappearance only for opposing the government’s activities and raising voices against it.
“I used to visit the houses of the victims of the enforced disappearance and talk to their relatives. The grief and sorrows can’t be accepted in any way. It’s very painful … I can’t look them in the eye,” Fakhrul lamented.
He said the government has destroyed the country’s election system by depriving people of their right to vote and elect their representatives.
“Elections to 22 municipalities were held today (Thursday). I received information that the ruling party men captured all the polling stations with the help of police. This is the current situation of the country,” Fakhrul said.
BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the incumbent government has resorted to autocratic rule and suppressive acts as it came to power by force in the pretext of democracy. “That’s why many people have been subjected to enforced disappearance, killing and abduction.”
He said the government has already destroyed democracy and all the institutions, including the judiciary, only to cling to power.
The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party men are exercising their enormous power to plunder public money, commit various crimes and doing all the bad things to the society.
“People are now united to get rid of this fascist regime and to restore democracy. We’re uniting people so that they can take to the streets and oust this government,” Mosharraf added.
BNP Standing Committee Member Moudud Ahmed said liberal democracy has receded in its strength because of the rise of authoritarianism and fascism in the guise of democracy. “This originated in Bangladesh in not only in 2009 but also in 1975 by the Awami League with the introduction of the one-party monolithic system.”
He said the incidents of violation of human rights, including extra-judicial killing, enforced disappearance, custodial deaths and all other crimes are growing in the country for lack of democracy and the rule of law.
“The law-and-order situation is deteriorating every day in Bangladesh because of the absence of the rule of law and good governance. Women and children are being raped almost every day and most of these crimes are being committed by those who are close to the power and the government,” the BNP leader said.
He said a fair and credible election is necessary to overcome this situation and restore people’s power and their rights to vote and thus ensure the rule of law.
The BNP leader demanded the formation of a high-powered judicial commission, led by a former chief justice, to look into all the incidents of human rights violation so that the offenders can be identified and punished. – UNB
