Govt Advises OHCHR To Revise Verification Method

The Bangladesh government rejected any insinuation suggesting that the masked individuals riding motorcycles, who incited violence during the mass rally of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Dhaka on October 28, are "thought to have been" supporters of the ruling party.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, through its permanent mission in Geneva, sent a letter to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) rejecting the UN body’s 31 October media release that suggested that the people who spread violence on the rally day are involved with the politics of ruling Awami League.

The Bangladesh government said, “Widely circulated video footages show that the attacks on the journalists were made, and residence of Chief Justice were vandalized from the BNP rally. Media reports identified one person wearing protective vest and posing to be a law enforcement agent/press personnel and setting vehicles on fire as Mr. Robiul Islam Noyon, Member Secretary of Dhaka City South branch of Jubo Dal (the youth wing of the BNP). The injured journalists did not claim that they were attacked by ruling party members – masked or not. Moreover, the Bangladesh Federal Journalist Union (BFUJ), on a press release issued on 28 October 2023, condemned the attacks to BNP activists on the journalists.”

The letter mentioned that the Bangladesh government is deeply shocked at the unprecedented show of violence and public disorder by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the name of its one-point unconstitutional demand of holding the next general elections under a nonpartisan caretaker administration.

It said, “As per BNP’s request, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) gave permission to hold its rally in front of its party office on 28 October under some specific conditions. However, BNP activists took recourse to indiscriminate street violence, arson and other forms of attacks on persons and properties. The main targets of such rampant violence have been the law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, innocent civilians, state institutions and public properties.

“Numerous horrific images and video footages show that a police member was mercilessly beaten to death – in broad daylight, on street, dozens of other law enforcement agents were attacked and injured, a bus conductor was burned alive along with the bus, scores of other vehicles including fire service trucks were torched, the residences of the Chief Justice and other judges of the highest court were vandalised, police hospital premises and ambulance were set on fire and several police stations were vandalised, reporters and camera personnel were attacked.”

The letter sent to the OHCHR claimed, “… in the face of such continued atrocities of the BNP, the Government of Bangladesh and its law enforcement forces showed utmost restraint and patience and applied minimal and optimal force to ensure public order.

“From BNP’s activities, it is evident that the party is resorting to violence, particularly arson with a clear intention to create a public nuisance, disturb life and livelihood, disrupt economy, collapse of public communication, transport and logistics and ensure total anarchy in the country.

“The BNP also resorted to misinformation in order to misguide the international community and thus gain sympathy. In a press conference in BNP Headquarters, it even presented a fake ‘adviser to the US President’.”

The foreign ministry’s letter stated, “The motive of BNP behind terrorizing the nation and misguiding the people of Bangladesh and the international community is to disrupt the ensuing election and constitutional processes. Unfortunately, the OHCHR may have fallen for BNP’s misinformation campaign.”

The letter also said the works of OHCHR, mandated by the member states to champion human rights globally, “must reflect the principles of objectivity, neutrality, impartiality and non-selectivity. In this context, it is advisable that the Office reviews its method of collection and verification of the information before publishing.”

The Bangladesh government expected that the “OHCHR will rectify its 31-October press briefing note based on authentic facts.”

“If the OHCHR’s statements are not highly objective, the Office will lose people’s support, acceptability and credibility,” it warned.

The letter further said that the Bangladesh government is committed to ensure people’s right to vote at any cost and to holding a free, fair, credible and peaceful election.

It stated, “For the sake of democracy … the Government of Bangladesh will support the independent Election Commission to hold the next general election on time as per our constitution.”

The letter ended saying that the Election Commission – independent constitutional body – is regularly holding dialogue with registered political parties ahead of next general elections. It attaches great importance to observation of the election process to ensure transparency. In this regard, the EC invited international election observers and foreign media to observe the upcoming 12th Parliamentary Elections of Bangladesh.