Govt hired lobbyists to protect HR offenders: BNP

Prothom Alo

UNB

Dhaka

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the government has hired lobbyists to protect the human rights violators by spending public money.

“The authoritarian illegitimate government has appointed lobbyists by spending public money to hush up the actions taken by the USA which is acknowledged by the statement of the foreign minister,” he said.

According to the foreign minister, Fakhrul said, the government has hired lobbyists to restore the image of the government. “How can the government spend public money in the name of protecting its image by taking the responsibility of the persons involved in crimes like killings and enforced disappearances?”

Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also said their party thinks that the government has exposed its involvement in serious crimes like human rights violations by hiring lobbyists with public money to save those who have violated human rights.

Fakhrul also said had the government been not engaged with such activities, it would have brought the seven officials to justice and put them under trial.

He alleged that prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy had spent US$ 9 million against the then BNP government in between 2005 and 200 and all evidence is available on the official websites of the US government.”

“What was the source of that money of Sajeeb Wazed Joy. How was that money taken to the USA from Bangladesh?” Fakhrul said.

He said the ruling party has carried out a false campaign that BNP appointed lobbyists against the country.

He said their party can write letters to the development partners informing them about the country’s human rights situation and the violation of human rights and the government’s misdeeds. “My letters to foreigners aren’t a matter of hiring a lobbyist, but a call to international development partners to protect human rights.”

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