Bangladesh
Abdul Momen Amnesty's call for peacekeepers is deliberate: Foreign Minister
Dhaka, June 28: Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen commented that the appeal of the United Kingdom-based human rights organization Amnesty International to the United Nations regarding the inclusion of members of the law enforcement forces in Bangladesh as peacekeeping forces is well-intentioned.
He said this while replying to the questions of the journalists after the Prime Minister's Eid gift distribution ceremony among poor families in Sylhet's Khadimnagar Union on June 27. Earlier, in a statement last Friday (June 23), Amnesty International said that Bangladesh has been sending members of security forces to UN peacekeeping missions for three decades. Bangladesh is one of the countries that send the most peacekeepers. This is a matter of concern considering the past human rights violations by Bangladesh's security forces, especially the RAB.
Dr. Momen commented that the main purpose of such a statement of Amnesty International is to claim Bangladesh. In this context, he said, these are their (Amnesty International's) fabrications and they are saying these things purposefully. They want Bangladesh's peacekeeping force to go to the United Nations and there will be a discontent among the army.
The minister said that the members of the UN peacekeeping force are recruited very selectively. Bangladesh knows this. In response to another question regarding the conspiracies of local and foreign parties around the upcoming national elections, the foreign minister said that some local and foreign forces work to claim the countries which are progressing. Bangladesh now takes less money from foreigners. Foreigners want Bangladesh to reach out to them and take help. They can manage Bangladesh as they wish. He said, anyone can have a complaint against the government, but it is not right to conspire against a country.
