Amnesty Int'l becomes biased, loses glory: Info Minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said Amnesty International (AI) has undermined its credibility severely and lost its importance and glory being identified as a biased organisation.

"The Amnesty International gave statements in favour of criminals, who were against humanity, to stop the trial of war criminals when the trial is going on in our country. They didn't give any statement when BNP-Jamaat killed people through petrol bomb attacks. Even, in many cases, they (AI) were silent when Israeli forces hunted people like birds in Philistine," he said told the reporters while replying to a query at the Circuit House in Dhaka.

For these reasons, Hasan said, it is not so much important what the organisation has told as it has already been identified as biased. But, some newspapers published their news seriously, he added.

The minister said, "I saw the report. They published the report of Ain o Shalish Kendra accordingly. Amnesty International published their reports by taking information from one or two specific sources which are involved in criticising the government and busy in anti-state conspiracy. It is nothing but a part of international conspiracy to hinder our development and progress."

Replying to another query over a proposal of BNP to form a "national government", he said BNP has tried to form an alliance along with rightist, leftist, extreme rightist and extreme leftist before 2018's polls and they formed the alliance. But, the result of the alliance is only five seats in the election, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

He said they (BNP) are trying to attract different political parties this time also ahead of the polls. For this, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave a statement about what kind of government will be formed after the elections, he added.

But, he said, the BNP leaders are claiming that they would not take part in the polls. In fact, BNP has become isolated from the masses for their anti-election politics.

Later, the minister addressed the triennial conference of Awami League district unit on Nowjoan ground of the town.

In his speech, Hasan said BNP is claiming that they would not take part in the polls if there is no neutral government. There will be no caretaker government in the country as per the constitution, he added.

He said the polls will be held under the Election Commission and the commission is independent. So, it is the decision of BNP whether the party will get in the polls train or not as the train of elections would not wait for anyone, he added.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader addressed the conference as the chief guest virtually with AL district unit president Abdul Malek in the chair.

AL Presidium Member Abdur Rahman, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua and other central leaders, among others, addressed the conference.

Later, Abdul Malek and Sadhan Chandra Majumder were elected as president and general secretary of the district unit respectively.