Home Minister
Home Minister dismisses US HR report as misinformation
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.
READ: Home Minister warns against violence during Left Alliance's hartal
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.
Birth control measures planned in Rohingya camps: Home Minister
The government will take birth control measures in the Rohingya camps to curb alarming population growth among the refugees.
This was decided on Sunday at a meeting presided over by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
The meeting also decided that UNHCR database will be used to prevent Rohingyas from getting Bangladeshi passports.
Also read: Japan: Lasting Rohingya solutions to help a free Indo-Pacific
The decisions came at the fourth meeting of the National Committee on Coordination, Management and Law and order of Displaced Myanmar Citizens, held in the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
State Minister for Disaster and Relief Md. Enamur Rahman was also present at the meeting.
Emerging from the meeting the home minister said birth rate is alarmingly high in Rohingya camps with about 35,000 births reported every year. The Health Department and the Islamic Foundation will be asked to take necessary steps to control it.
Home Minister warns against violence during Left Alliance's hartal
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday warned against creating any violence during the hartal called for March 28 against price hike of essentials.
Kamal was responding to a reporter's question after inaugurating Police Liberation War Museum set up by Chattogram Metropolitan Police at Dampara.
Petition for extending Khaleda’s sentences suspension sent to Law Ministry: Home Minister
The petition seeking extension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension has been sent to the Law Ministry for scrutinising, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.
“We have got an application from the family of Khaleda and we have sent it to the Law Ministry,” he said.
Read:Slashing VAT, taxes on essential commodities during Ramadan under consideration: Home Minister
The home minister came up with the information while talking to reporters after a meeting on law and order situation on the occasion of Independence Day at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Haque said Khaleda’s petition has arrived in the ministry.
“We will send the petition to the Home Ministry with our observation and the Home ministry will give its opinion on it.”
On February 8, 2018, Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail after a subordinate court sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later doubled her jail term.
The former prime minister was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. Her party claims both cases are politically motivated.
Slashing VAT, taxes on essential commodities during Ramadan under consideration: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Sunday said the government decided to reduce or withdraw VAT (value added tax) and taxes to keep the prices of some daily commodities, including edible oil, at a tolerable level ahead of Ramadan.
“We will announce soon steps on reducing taxes and VAT if necessary and how much on edible oil or sugar or anything else if it is levied on daily commodities,” said the minister at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Cabinet Division at the Secretariat.
However, he did not specify which products will be included in this action.
Also read: VAT on import of edible oil, other commodities withdrawn: Minister
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Asaduzzaman said, "You know the price of edible oil is rising all over the world. We see prices rising every day which is affecting our country.”
“The prices of other commodities can also go up during Ramadan, so we sat down with that in mind,” the minister added.
He said, "We are also making arrangements to import electricity keeping in mind the increasing demand during Ramadan."
He further said the supply of diesel and gas may be reduced. “We are taking necessary steps to keep these in order so that there is no shortage of electricity and people do not suffer during Ramadan,” he assured.
“We will encourage everyone to import the essentials to keep the market stable.”
However, the supply of wheat may be another problem as it is imported from Ukraine-Russia, said the minister.
“We will continue our efforts to keep the rice and wheat market stable.”
The Cabinet Division sat in a meeting with several ministries today to control commodity prices ahead of Ramadan.
Also read: Stockpiling of daily commodities for higher profits not acceptable: HC
Apart from the home minister, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzaque, State Minister for Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and other top officials attended the meeting.
Country advancing on back of police performing its duties responsibly
Praising police's activities, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday said the country has been advancing forward with breakneck speed as police has been performing its appropriate responsibility in combating militancy, terrorism and everything one after another.
"We have been advancing forward with breakneck speed as police has been performing its appropriate responsibility in combating militancy, terrorism and everything one after another," he said while addressing a special gathering of citizens at Rajarbagh Police Lines on the occasion of 47th founding anniversary of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
We have been dealing challenge of preventing militancy, terrorism and many others one after another due to activeness of not only police under the DMP, but also the police across the country, the Home Ministry said.
He said said sustainable peace is needed for keeping sustainable development of the country. And sustainable security is needed to keep the sustainable peace. Police is doing to keep sustainable security, he added.
Praising the role of DMP's police, the Home Minister said the Dhaka city has been turned into a dependable city as members of the DMP have been performing its duties, including ensuring security of VVIPs as well as various programmes, including political and religious properly.
Dope test for drivers to be made compulsory: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said dope test will be made obligatory for the vehicle drivers and within two months they should get their appointment letters.
The minister said this to journalists after attending a meeting of the taskforce on law and order on roads at the secretariat.
He said along with these the decision to not allow money collection in the name of associations on the roads was taken at the meeting.
“Except in terminals any money collection on the roads will not be allowed. Even the tax courts formed in the district and upazila levels won’t be allowed to collect money from anywhere,” said Asaduzzaman Khan.
Also read: Police being built as a world-class force: Home Minister
The minister said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been asked to take actions in this regard.
The home minister said a committee has been formed led by Bangladesh Road Transport Association (BRTA) chairman to examine how long the old private and government vehicles can operate on the roads.
“The decision to form the committee was made as the expired old vehicles often cause accidents on the roads,” he added
Asaduzzaman Khan said in phases arrangements will be made to conduct dope tests at the terminals and drivers will be tested immediately before driving.
Also raed: It’s unfair to put all the blame of crossfires on RAB: Home Minister
He said BRTA has started the dope tests from January 30 before providing licenses.
“After two months we will check whether the owners have provided appointment letters to staff, drivers as it is in the law,” he said.
The minister said a decision was made to make the issuance of the driving license process easier for the drivers future.
Police being built as a world-class force: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said that the Bangladesh Police are being developed as a world-class force and the efforts will continue.The minister said this while addressing as the chief guest at an exchange meeting with senior police officials at Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh, Dhaka on Thursday night at the concluding session of the 5th day of Police Week 2022.He said the police are becoming the people's police day by day.
Read:Police to use AI in modernising to serve developed country by 2041
"Apart from the training, Bangladesh Police stands by the people in all possible sectors, the way the police have served the people during the Covid pandemic is truly unprecedented."We want to make Bangladesh Police a world class police force," he said.The minister said that the way terrorism emerged in the country in the recent past, the police have also performed their duty at the risk of their lives.
“You have seen the killings and terrorism carried out in the country in the name of anti-independence group movement in 2013,” he said.Mentioning that Bangladesh Police has become a 'role model' in suppressing militants, the Home Minister said that the country has become militant-free as a result of sincere efforts of police.In order to increase the capacity of the police, various specialized units including Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), Anti -Terrorism Unit (ATU) has been set up, he added.
Read:Bangladesh police will be made worth of a developed country by 2041: IGP "The members of the police force will perform their duty with more patriotism in the future as they are doing now", the minister hoped."The logical demands of the police officers that we can meet from our ministry will be met soon. We will talk to the prime minister about the demands that need to be consulted", he concluded.
It’s unfair to put all the blame of crossfires on RAB: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday remarked that putting all the blame of crossfires on the country's elite force Rapid Action Battalion is unfair.
The minister said this when a reporter sought his comment on a statement by12 foreign human rights bodies seeking ban Rab from deployment at UN peacekeeping missions.
He was speaking to journalists after addressing the DC Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city.
He said, “They talk about human rights but we can challenge that there is no country where police encounters don’t occur.”
Read: UN Peacekeeping: 12 global HR bodies seek ban on RAB
When someone points arms at police they can’t sit quietly and thus crossfires happen, said the minister. “So I think it’s an injustice being done to Rab by putting all the blame on them,” he said.
The minister said, “Those who created Rab are not liking it anymore. They are spreading propaganda against the force but not highlighting their good works.”
When asked whether RAB is facing political opposition he said, “It’s up to you to decide.”
Asaduzzaman said there was the government wants to turn the country’s security forces into world class.
He said “We have already introduced national emergency service number triple nine like many other countries in the world.”
Twelve international human rights organisations have written a letter to the United Nations Department of Peace Operations seeking a ban on RAB from the UN deployment for its alleged involvement in torture, enforced disappearances, and other human rights violations.
The letter was sent to UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) disclosed it on its website on Thursday.
Read: Man to die for killing woman after rape in Ctg
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations has yet to provide a formal response to the letter which was sent privately over two months ago on November 8, 2021.
“If Secretary General Guterres is serious about ending human rights abuses by UN peacekeepers, he will ensure that units with proven records of abuse like the Rapid Action Battalion are excluded from deployment,” said Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. “The evidence is clear; now it’s time for the UN to draw a line.
The organizations that signed the letter are-Amnesty International, Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD),Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Human Rights Commission, Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)Capital Punishment Justice Project, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Human Rights Watch, International Federation for Human Rights, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, The Advocates for Human Rights and World Organization Against Torture (OMCT).
Malaysian home minister expected in Dhaka on Jan 25
Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Hamzah bin Zainudin is likely to visit Dhaka later this month on a three-day visit to discuss issues of mutual interests with Bangladesh.
He will visit Bangladesh, arriving January 25, at the invitation of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad.
During the visit, Hamza Zainudin will also hold a meeting with his counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan, apart from his meeting with Minister Imran Ahmad on January 26.
Hamzah will also attend a session with Bangladeshi overseas workers' recruitment agencies and visit the Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Center.
READ: Malaysian govt wants to cut out third parties in foreign recruitment
The minister will join a dinner of the Malaysian diaspora in Dhaka during his stay.
Hamzah's visit comes on the back of Putrajaya opening the door to entry of foreign workers in all employment sectors, in line with a decision taken in a meeting of the Malaysian Cabinet on December 10, last year.
For the Malaysian home minister's visit to follow so soon on the back of his country's decision to reopen the labour market to foreign workers
This entry will be opened to all sectors – allowed for the employment of foreign workers – namely agriculture, manufacturing, services, mining and quarrying, construction and domestic servants.
Previously, approval was given for the entry of 32,000 foreign workers for the plantation sector with special exemptions.
The Malaysian government advised the employers not to make any payment through intermediaries or third parties for the purpose of speeding up the application process as its cabinet recently approved the entry of foreign workers.
"This is to prevent fraud by irresponsible parties," said Malaysian Minister for Human Resources M Saravanan in a media statement on recruitment and employment of foreign workers.
The minister also reminded employers – who want to employ foreign workers – to submit their own applications based on the actual needs of foreign workers.
READ: Court to rule on graft appeal by Malaysian ex-premier Najib
Employers who use the services of private employment agencies must also ensure that the agency is registered and has a license certified by the Department of Manpower Peninsular Malaysia under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981, according to the statement.
All these admissions must comply with the standing operating procedures (SOP) for the admission of foreign workers, which was approved by the Covid-19 Ministerial Quartet Meeting on 14 December 2021, it added.
The minister will make an announcement in the near future on the date of applications that can be submitted by employers online for the process of hiring foreign workers for each sector of employment allowed from the source country.