DHAKA: The United Nation yesterday expressed concern about the post-election human rights situation in Bangladesh as violence escalated after the polls, leaving as many as 20 people killed in less than a month’s time.
“Still any violation of human rights is not a good sign. So, we do have some concern on that and we hope that it will improve in the future,” Renata Lok Dessallien, UN Development Program resident representative, told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.
She said that the UN was not happy with the situation as violence has gone almost unabated after the Dec. 29 general election, which was generally peaceful with an overwhelming high voter turnout.
The UN envoy hoped that the new government of Prime Minister Hasina Wajed will take good care of the country’s human rights situation. Dessallien also discussed Bangladesh’s preparations for the upcoming Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. Meanwhile, Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed is under attack from opposition parliamentarians for “violating the constitution” of the country. Ironically, these MPs are from the party that had elected him in the first place.
Sporting black badges and led by leader of opposition Begum Khaleda Zia, two-term former prime minister, the opposition members Sunday walked out before Ahmed opened the ninth Jatiya Sangsad (parliament).
A senior lawmaker of Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury, interrupted proceedings to announce that the opposition would not hear the presidential address. The plea by new Speaker Abdul Hamid that “after all, he is your president. You should hear him speak”, was not heeded by the opposition.
Talking to reporters at the entrance to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (parliament complex), Chowdhury said: “We have walked out before the president’s speech because he breached the oath to defend the constitution. He failed to hold national polls within the constitution-stipulated three months after dissolution of Parliament. Thanks to his role, the caretaker government lasted two long years, denying people the rights to vote and have a constitutional government.”
A US-trained veterinarian, Ahmed was picked by Khaleda after she developed differences with President A.Q.M. Badrudozzah Chowhdury, also her nominee, in 2003.
Chowdhury also accused the outgoing president of trying to implement the “minus-two formula” during the two-year rule of the caretaker government. This refers to the failed attempts by the caretaker government to send away both Hasina and Khaleda as part of a plan to enforce “political reforms”.
