Party senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain made the call at a press conference arranged by BNP standing committee at its chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Also read: Writ seeking ban on Al Jazeera broadcast: HC appoints six amici curiae
“What emerged in Al-Jazeera's report is merely a small part of a big canvas of human rights violation, misrule and lack of rule, extreme abuse of state power, mafia culture and the terrible process of usurping the state power in Bangladesh. It’s also just the tip of the iceberg of unbridled corruption,” he said.
Mosharraf said, “BNP is expressing its full support to the UN’s call to seven international human rights bodies for investigating the allegations (raised by the Al-Jazeera report) in their own way. We urge the UN to immediately investigate those allegations in its own way.”
He said the government has trashed the Al Jazeera report describing it as false and a smear campaign. “But the government has softened its tone saying they’ve no objection to investigate the allegations following a call by the UN to do so.”
The BNP leader alleged that the government called the Al Jazeera report a false and fabricated one without verifying the allegations. "The presentation of correct information and truth is the answer to the wrong information, and it’s also the way to restore the image by tackling propaganda, but the government is not doing that.”
Also read: UN lauds Bangladesh's peacekeepers
Mosharraf also accused the government of spreading a ‘conspiracy theory’ based on partial or marginal issues omitting the main subject matter of the report. ”But before the documentary was released, the accused were given an opportunity to defend themselves which they ignored."
He said Bangladesh Army that had been formed on March 26, 1971 through an armed rebellion against the occupying forces of Pakistan is the pride of the country and the nation.
"The patriotic Bangladesh Army and the Defense Forces always get appreciation from people by working tirelessly in various natural calamities and national crises. “It’s in no way acceptable to tarnish the image of this great and sensitive institution of the state due to the corruption or immoral acts by any individual or group,” the BNP leader observed.
He said many of the allegations made in the Al Jazeera report are undoubtedly serious ‘criminal offenses’ under the country's customary law. “These allegations have now turned into international criminal offenses due to the media reports on those both at home and abroad.”
Also read: Al Jazeera report: Bangladesh Army strongly condemns it
Mosharraf said the government has already acknowledged the import of spy equipment from Hungary for the UN peacekeeping operations. “But the UN has categorically rejected it.”
He urged the government to explain about the use of the ‘illegally imported’ mobile phone surveillance equipment in the country violating the privacy rights of citizens. "There’re speculations that the government is using these tools to suppress the opposition and those who hold anti-government sentiments.”