Bangladesh getting elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with the highest votes has proved false the opposition BNP’s propaganda that human rights are being violated in the country, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday. BNP and certain anti-national individuals and organisations are continuously spreading propaganda that human rights are being violated in Bangladesh, said the minister while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. He said that these elements have been trying to create confusion by sending wrong information to different countries. Read: Bangladesh elected UNHRC member because of experience with rights issues: Shahriar Alam But Bangladesh has been elected as a member of the UNHRC, proving the propaganda false, he added. “Rather, it has proved that Sheikh Hasina's government is on the right track.” Bangladesh has bagged a 'historic win' in the election for the membership of the UNHRC for the term 2023-25, securing 160 votes out of 189 that were cast in Tuesday’s election. This would be the fifth term for Bangladesh as a member of the 47-member UNHRC. It secured one of the four seats up for grabs for countries from the Asia Pacific Group, receiving the highest votes out of all the candidates in the region. In fact the human rights were violated extremely in the country during the regime of military ruler Ziaur Rahman, the minister said, adding that thousands of army officers and soldiers were killed without trial during his time. Even executions were carried out before the trials and these are documented, he added. Thousands of Bangladesh Awami League leaders and activists were tortured and killed during Zia's tenure, Hasan claimed. Following Zia’s footstep, the government of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was involved in the August 21 grenade attacks, killings of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria, Awami League leader Ahsanullah Master and journalist Humyun Kabir Balu and many others. Read: Pay attention to Palestine, Myanmar, Hasan to UNHRC Unfortunately, no trials were held in these cases, he added. “We will present before the world how the BNP had violated human rights by killing people alive through arson attacks in 2013, 2014 and 2015,” he said. The minister also said the families of the victims, who were killed by Ziaur Rahman, formed an organisation named 'Mayer Kanna' and are holding human chains at different parts of the country, including Dhaka, and Chattogram, demanding justice. “I want to know how BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will respond to this now,” he said. Regarding the ongoing protests of BNP, Hasan said if it tries to create anarchy in the name of divisional rallies, the government will take appropriate measures for the security of the people. “And if the people resist, our party will also stand by them. Besides, by-elections will be held there if any lawmaker of BNP resigns,” he said.

BNP on Saturday described the US sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its seven current and former top officials as an inevitable consequence of serious violations of human rights. “As per news published today (Saturday), sanctions have been imposed on Benazir Ahmed (current IGP) and the RAB chief. I don't think it's a surprise as I it's an inevitable consequence,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Speaking at a discussion, he also said those who violate human rights, snatch human rights and kill people have to face such a consequence. The BNP leader said their party now wants to see whether the government takes action against those who are accused of violating human rights or remains silent as in the past. Fakhrul said the US sanctions have also proved right what BNP has long been talking about the violations of human rights and killing and torturing of people by using the state machinery, including police and administration. “What a shame it is that a country that likes the United States has imposed sanctions on our police and Rab chiefs. The reasons behind the sanctions are violation of human rights and unlawfully killing people and making many disappeared. They must be made accountable to people someday for such misdeeds.” Read: Sanctions on RAB: FM says impact on relations depends on US National People’s Party (NPP) arranged the discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), demanding BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad. The United States on Friday imposed human rights-related sanctions on Benzir Ahmed, current Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police and former Director General of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and six other individuals on the occasion of International Human Rights Day. The US Department of State announced visa restrictions on Benazir Ahmed, which it says, due to his “involvement in gross violations of human rights” making him ineligible for entry into the United States. RAB as an entity, Benzir Ahmed, and six other officials were designated by the Department of the Treasury under the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme in connection with serious human rights abuse, said the US Department of State. Fakhrul said government officials and employees should remember that they are the servants of the state, not any individual or party. "It’s not their responsibility to do anything going beyond the constitution. Those who’re doing it will have to bear the consequences someday.” Fakhrul said many people are siphoning off money abroad and making “second homes” in different countries, including Canada and Malaysia, by indulging in ‘plundering and corruption’. “They’ll also face the consequences and they won’t be able to enjoy their ill-gotten wealth as those will be confiscated.” Fakhrul alleged that the government has put Bangladesh in an embarrassing situation as the USA did not invite the county to a virtual "Summit for Democracy held on Thursday hosted by Joe Biden. He said the Awami League government is working in a planned way to establish a one-party rule by fully violating the constitution. “It’s the most grievous offence of the current government.” Read: Dhaka trashes HR violation allegations against IGP, 6 others The BNP leader alleged that the government has destroyed the political structure of the country by revoking the caretaker government system from the constitution by using the court. Fakhrul said the ruling party leaders and ministers are indulging in widespread plundering and corruption as they have no accountability to people for lack of democracy. He said Khaleda who has had immense contributions to the country and restoration of democracy in the country was convicted in “false cases’’ as part of a plot to eliminate her from politics. The BNP leader said Khaleda is now seriously ill as she was not given proper treatment during her stay in jail. “She has now been pushed towards death by not allowing her to receive treatment. The government is doing so as it thinks there’ll remain no barrier to staying in power if Khaleda is eliminated. But it’s their wrong perception as BNP is getting organised under the leadership of Tarique Rahman.” Fakhrul called upon all democratic political parties to get united putting aside divisions among them to wage a strong movement together with people for the restoration of democracy ousting the current ‘despotic’ regime thus paving the way for Khaleda’s treatment abroad.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the government will establish human rights in the country through ensuring the trial of all the incidents of human rights violation.