Govt lying about UN rights chief's statement: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that the government is lying about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's statement on the human rights situation in Bangladesh.

He said this in a human chain program held in front of the party's Naya Paltan central office in the capital of Dhaka on Tuesday marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

"The chief of the United Nations Human Rights came a few days ago, told the government ministers that human rights are being violated in Bangladesh, and cases of disappearances are happening. An independent commission is needed for the impartial investigation of these," Fakhrul said.

"She said one more thing, it is the responsibility of the authorities to see whether anyone of the army officials who work in UN missions is accused of infringing human rights," he added.

The BNP secretary general also said, "The UN Human Rights head in a press conference clearly said human rights are being violated in Bangladesh but our government is promoting that she did not say anything on the human rights situation. It is cheating the people."

KH/SU