Allegation of disappearance raised to realise interests by putting pressure: Foreign minister

Foreign minister's statements on alleged enforced disappearances:

• Many countries are anxious to get access to Bangladesh, which is in a good position geopolitically. So, they want to take advantage by putting pressure on the country.
• Many on the list of missing persons have drowned in the Mediterranean or are hiding inside the country.
• When police searched the alleged missing persons' homes, they were accused of harassing their families.
• A meeting will be organised where the alleged missing persons' family members will provide information on them.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said there is no such thing as "enforced disappearance" in Bangladesh and many of the allegedly missing persons have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, while many others are hiding inside the country.

"We do not want a single person to go missing in the country. We want to bring the perpetrators to trial. Terrorist groups often carry out murders and force disappearances. Compared to any other country, it is the lowest in Bangladesh," said the foreign minister responding to a question from reporters at the end of a meeting titled "Branding Bangladesh" as part of "World Conference Series 2022" on Saturday.

The meeting was organised by the Center for Non-Resident Bangladeshis at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.

Asked about a list of missing persons sent by the United Nations (UN) to the country, the minister said the UN itself had not sent any list, but a subsidiary of the global body has sent it.

The minister said the UN agency is not conducting any research in Bangladesh. They have sent the government a list prepared by a biased local organisation. Upon inquiry, it was learned that many of the people on the list have drowned in the Mediterranean.

The minister said some of the names on the list are known, and there are some names that are not so well known. When police searched their homes, they were accused of harassing their relatives.

The minister further said the police have been asked not to conduct investigations regarding this matter. An initiative is being taken to organise a meeting with the family members of the alleged missing persons, where they will provide information on their family members.

The minister said, "Every year in the United States, around 1,000 people die without trial – the police kill them. Besides, hundreds of thousands go missing. We have no headaches about them. We do not want a single person to go missing in our country."

Claiming that there is no minimum human rights link behind such allegations, the minister said such allegations are being made for the purpose of gaining benefits by putting pressure on the country.

"Since we are in a good position geopolitically as there are big and powerful countries around us, many are anxious to get access here. That is why Bangladesh is an eyesore for many," said the Minister.

"Their real motive is not human rights or justice about enforced disappearance and murder. Their real purpose is to take advantage by putting pressure on us," he said.

The minister said many people are spreading propaganda that Bangladesh is falling into China's debt trap.

"A country falls into a debt trap if its loan becomes more than 40% of its GDP. The amount of the country's debt is only 15% of GDP. Most of our loans come from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF). After that, the highest loan comes from Japan. Only 5% of the total debt is coming from China," he said.

At the programme, Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed claimed that there was no incident of human rights violation in the history of Bangladesh Army.

He said, "People are shot brutally in some countries. Many people get killed in this way there. They do not care about human rights. The history and documents show that there is no incident of human rights violation by the Bangladesh Army. We are proud of it. This is how we have branded Bangladesh. "

Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam, Prime Minister's Personal Physician and Professor Emeritus Dr ABM Abdullah, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) Director General Shahidul Alam, among others, also spoke at the conference, presided over by Chairperson of Center for Non-Resident Bangladeshis SM Shekil Chowdhury.

At the event, 15 banks and financial institutions and a number of individuals and institutions were honored for their contribution to the development of expatriate Bangladeshis.

Experts call for improving migrant workers' condition

Shekil Chowdhury cited harassment of migrant workers at the airport, lack of skills of migrant workers and uncertainty regarding their profession as major obstacles to sustainable development. He also recommended increasing their social status.

BMET Director General Shahidul Alam said, "Over one lakh people have been going abroad for work per month for several months now. If this trend continues, a large number of new workers will be employed outside the country."

He also said more people are being able to go abroad due to the speed with which Covid-19 vaccine is being administered and an increase in demand for workers in the destination countries.

Emeritus Professor Dr ABM Abdullah said the non-resident Bangladeshis have played a major role in procuring vaccines, ventilators and other anti-Covid-19 materials during the pandemic. He demanded that specific measures be taken to reduce the harassment of expatriates at the airport.

State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said Bangladesh has evolved from a low-income country to a low-middle-income country in 2015, according to the World Bank. Moreover, in two consecutive assessments, the country has qualified to move from the list of least developed countries to developing countries.

Commenting that Bangladesh has gained recognition as part of its continued success in the socio-economic index, he said, "This is the biggest branding for the country."

He further said there is a plan to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 by implementing the Second Perspective Plan. If this plan can be implemented, the per capita income will exceed $16,000 by 2041.

However, he said some people are active in negative branding against the country as they do not want it to improve. He urged everyone to be aware of this.

Dr Mashiur Rahman said remittances from expatriates are playing an important role in filling the trade deficit of goods and services as well as maintaining foreign exchange reserves and exchange rates.

Dr Mashiur Rahman suggested starting a "Future Fund" with the expatriate workers' income as they do not have job security. He also urged the authorities concerned to make arrangements to establish the migrant workers as entrepreneurs if they come back to the country for any reason.