BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday accused the government of trying to give legitimacy to all the human rights violators by including Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed in Bangladesh delegation to the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit at the UN.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul also alleged that the government’s such ‘irresponsible’ and ‘arrogant’ behaviour is putting the country’s international relations at risk.
“The illegal Awami League government has tried to give legitimacy to all the human rights violators by including Benazir Ahmed, one of those who gave order for terrible human rights violation activities like enforced disappearances, murders and extrajudicial killings against opposition leaders and activists, in the list (of the UN delegation members),” the BNP leader said.
He said the IGP has been named in the delegation of Bangladesh to participate in the two-day Police Summit scheduled to begin on August 31 even after the US sanctions on RAB and its seven current and former officials, including Benazir, for gross human rights violations by indulging in enforced disappearances, murders and extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh.
“Confusion has arisen among the public as the United States granted a conditional visa to IGP Benazir Ahmed to attend the summit. The Bangladesh government has deliberately tarnished the image of the country by providing such a delegation list to the United Nations,” the BNP leader said.
He said IGP cannot join in any other activity except for the specific UN summit as the USA issued a conditional visa. “We think that issuing visas subject to such conditions is an insult to Bangladesh,” Fakhrul observed.Benazir reportedly received the USA visa on Thursday to join the summit as one of the six members of Bangladesh delegation, led by Home Minister Asaduzzam Khan. The delegation is scheduled to leave Dhaka for the USA on Sunday night.
UNCOPS 2022 will bring together ministers, chiefs of police, and senior representatives of regional and professional policing organizations at United Nations Headquarters.
In December last year, the US imposed sanctions on seven former and current officials, including Benazir Ahmed, of Rapid Action Battalion on charge of grave human rights violations. Benazir served as the director general of RAB before becoming the country’s police chief.
