Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday said that the US State Department on the alleged abuse of power by Bangladesh security forces contains misinformation.

“Firstly, this allegation is probably from 2021, not 2022. The number of disappearances and murders in 2021 that were mentioned in the report is not same as per our record,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.

“We always have an executive magistrate inquiring if anyone is killed by our security forces in a gunfight, even if the security forces open fire in self-defense,” he said.

The matter is closed only if the fact behind the incident is proved. And if the executive magistrate thinks that the incident occurred due to injustice or carelessness, it is sent to the judiciary, said the minister.

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Asked if the security forces are being used for political purposes, he said, “It was when the BNP was in power. If they talk about it, I don't know.”

Ever since the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to power, if any kind of torture by the security forces is reported, they will face the law, he said. “That is what I have repeatedly said.”

The minister also said, “We have seen many of those disappearances and murders, many of them may have gone into hiding. Maybe he has faced losses in his business and went somewhere by himself.”

“As you may have noticed a few days ago, a man said after two and a half years that he went missing on purpose due to family unrest.”

The security forces have found many, he added.

“I can still say loudly that the report that has come out contains discrepancies in the information.”

Responding to a question on spreading of rumours, the minister said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is keeping in touch with Facebook in this regard.

“We also discussed this with them yesterday. They said that a Facebook team from Singapore came to visit us here.”

“We take action against those who spread rumours through Facebook.”

”If anyone gets upset and wants justice against those who spread rumours, we must take action against them,” Kamal added.

He also said that people are now realising that these rumours are being spread deliberately. Because of this, they don’t believe any data shared through Facebook.

Lastly, regarding the security of Pohela Boishakh, he said they have recommended that the law enforcement end programmes on a limited scale by 2 pm considering the Covid situation.