Khaleda Zia being deprived of human rights: Fakhrul

GBNEWS24DESK//

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is being deprived of human rights, said the party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He made the remarks while speaking at a seminar on Friday afternoon.

The seminar was organised by the BNP’s National Committee for Observance of the 50th Anniversary of Independence at Lakeshore Hotel at Gulshan in Dhaka on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day.

BNP Acting Chairman Tareque Rahman addressed the seminar as the chief guest joining from London virtually.

A book titled “Disfrenchisement under the Authoritarian Regime’ was launched at the seminar. The book contains the photographs of gross violation of human rights from 2007 to 2021 in Bangladesh.

Mirza Fakhrul said: “You all know the chairperson of our party, Begum Khaleda Zia, who was prime minister for thrice, is being deprived of her human rights, even minimum human rights. She has been deprived of her right to medical treatment. Today, our acting chairman can’t return to the country. He has been forced to live in exile by punishing unlawfully.”

Narrating the pain and sufferings of the families of forced disappearance victims, Mirza Fakhrul said, “You have learnt about the sufferings and pain of the families of disappeared victims. We have been hearing the cries of these families over the last eight years. We have been hearing the weeping of children.”

“Children still await to see when their fathers will return. We have been going through such a devastating and touching situation. Those who are in Bangladesh, they don’t need to tell repeatedly how their human rights are being violated constantly,” he said.

With Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, convener of the National Committee on Celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence, in the chair, the seminar was conducted by Advocate Farzana Sharmin.

It was addressed by Advocate Subrata Chowdhury of Ganoforum, Mahmudur Rahman Manna of Nagorik Oikya, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed of BNP, economist Professor Dr Mahbub Ullah, Professor Dr Tajmeri Islam, Abdus Salam, and Advocate Md Asaduzzaman.

Victim of forced disappearance former lawmaker Ilyas Ali MP’s son Barrister Abrar Ilyas, Afra Anjum, niece of Sajedul Islam of BNP, Parvin Akhter, wife of Omar Faruque, Jhumur Akter, sister of Mahbubur Rahman Bappi of JCD, also spoke at the seminar seeking their near and dear ones in emotion-choked voices.

The seminar was attended by the representatives of the United Nations, Canada, Democracy International, and dozens of other international organisations.

Moreover, Mostofa Mohsin Mantu of Ganoforum, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Shawkat Mahmud, Ismail Zabiullah, MA Qayyum, Habibur Rahman Habib, Mojibar Rahman Sarwar, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Shyama Obaid, Abdul Malek Ratan, Shirin Sultana, Zahiruddin Swapan, Z Khan Reaz Nasu, Tabith Awal, Ziauddin Zia, Zahedul Alam Hitu, Farida Yasmin, Atiqur Rahman Rumman, Professor Abdul Latif Masum, Rumin Farhana MP, Shairul Kabir Khan and Shamsuddin Didar, among others, were present at the seminar.