Dhaka, Sep 15: Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has demanded immediate release of rights organisation Odhikar’s secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and director Nasiruddin Elan.
‘He (Adilur Rahman Khan) was vocal about enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh. He raised these issues internationally in the Human Rights Commission and other international organisations. That is why he has been jailed,’ Fakhrul said, while addressing a press briefing at BNP’s Naya Paltan office on Friday afternoon.
‘The resolution in the Parliament of the European Union states that there is absolutely no human rights in Bangladesh. This (sentence) is proof of that.They said that democracy and human rights in Bangladesh are very bad and the situation is gradually worsening. This proves that the judiciary of Bangladesh is now completely under the control of the government. Today no one is getting justice and people are being deprived of it,’ Mirza Fakhrul Islam added.
In a case under Section 57 of the now defunct ICT Act, the Cyber Tribunal on Thursday sentenced Adidul Rahman and Nasiruddin to two years in prison and a fine of Tk 10,000 each.
Terming the Cyber Security Act as a bad law, Mirza Fakhrul said, ‘Everything of this government is cheating and they are trying to fool people. But they do not understand that people are not stupid and everyone understands their fraudulence.’
‘This law (Cyber Security Act) is worse than the Digital Security Act. In this law, police can arrest anyone without warrant, interrogate anyone and file a case,’ he informed.
Fakhrul said, ‘You (journalists) will suffer more than us. There is a reason for this. With this law, you are trapped, bound… no one can speak.’
‘To get out of here… we are not saying that the BNP should be brought to power. No, just free the country, free the nation. The government has created a suffocating environment. So, we all have to stand to create a democratic and free environment.’
One or two scapegoats will be made to show the people that they are taking measures against the culprits, the BNP secretary general said.
Mirza Fakhrul also demanded adequate compensation for the traders who were affected by Mohammadpur Krishi Market fire.
Abdus Salam, member of Khaleda Zia’s advisory council and convener of Dhaka south BNP, BNP’s central leaders Khairul Kabir Khokon, Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Abdus Salam Azad, Abdus Sattar Patwari, among others were present at the press conference.
