State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today said the government is committed to protecting human rights and ensuring that no citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, is unjustly detained or imprisoned out of political vendetta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe government will definitely ensure that no one is unjustly imprisoned or detained due to political vendetta,\u201d she told journalists at the foreign ministry this afternoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shama said the government's commitment to due process and fundamental rights applies to supporters of every political party, including opposition parties and the Awami League, whose activities currently face a ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo party, be it the opposition party, Awami League, or any party, the current government will definitely ensure that no one is unjustly imprisoned or detained due to political vendetta,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The State Minister said Bangladesh had witnessed unprecedented violations of human rights over the previous 17 years, with BNP leaders and activists among those who suffered most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe kind of human rights that have been violated in Bangladesh in the last 17 years has never been violated in the history of Bangladesh,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe biggest victim is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, its leaders and activists,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shama said the government does not want a recurrence of what she described as the country's previous \u201cfascist era\u201d and remains determined to guarantee fundamental rights to every citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will never want the past fascist era to return now or in the future. We want all human rights to be ensured to every citizen,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the government has a responsibility to protect the rights of citizens and prevent the justice system from being driven by political vengeance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur government's stand is that we are trying to protect human rights. We are responsible to the people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turning to foreign policy, the State Minister said Bangladesh's approach is centred on safeguarding national interests while maintaining respectful and balanced relations with all countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur foreign policy is first and foremost a \u2018Bangladesh policy\u2019... with equal rights with everyone and maintaining our own interests with respect,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shama said the elected government's political mandate has also strengthened Bangladesh's position in negotiations with international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen Bangladesh is talking, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh is talking, then all the other stakeholders including China are listening to our words with more attention, more seriously,\u201d she said.
\u201cNow that Bangladesh is an elected government, we have a stronger position in our negotiation space,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rohingya crisis needs political solution<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the Rohingya issue, Shama said Bangladesh intends to use its strengthened diplomatic position to mobilise greater international engagement and pressure towards a durable political solution to the protracted crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe matter is absolutely a political problem, it is a very sensitive matter and we need to solve this problem politically,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said Bangladesh remains engaged through official and unofficial communication and dialogue with different stakeholders in Myanmar as part of efforts to address the crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are trying to involve the international community more,\u201d she said, referring to an upcoming high-level UN session on the Rohingya crisis in September where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The State Minister said Bangladesh would also explore whether the Muslim world could exert greater pressure on Myanmar to help create momentum towards a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the crisis has grown considerably more complex since the massive influx began in 2017, particularly because of Myanmar's evolving internal political and security situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shama referred to the emergence of the Arakan Army and other stakeholders in Rakhine State as well as security challenges along the border, including human smuggling and drug trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the precise number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh is difficult to determine due to continuing arrivals and births in the camps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo in that case, we don't know the exact number right now, but it will definitely be over 1.3 million,\u201d she said, noting that around 30,000 children are born there annually on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shama said Chinese President Xi Jinping, during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to China, strongly expressed Beijing's willingness to cooperate with Bangladesh in finding a solution to the crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of existing arrangements on the Rohingya issue unless the United Nations and other major stakeholders become more actively engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The State Minister said Bangladesh could gain additional diplomatic leverage from Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman's upcoming role as President of the UN General Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrom that place, we have a power to speak for Bangladesh in the international community. We think that at least in the next year, we will be able to use this capacity a little better,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shama said Bangladesh would continue pursuing a \u201cBangladesh policy\u201d in its international engagement, protecting national interests while maintaining relations with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today said the government is committed to protecting human rights and ensuring that no citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, is unjustly detained or imprisoned out of political vendetta. \u201cThe government will definitely ensure that no one is unjustly imprisoned or detained due to political vendetta,\u201d she told […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":36453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,93],"tags":[54],"class_list":["post-36452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bangladesh","category-nationwide","tag-54"],"yoast_head":"\n