Human Rights Report 2008

Bangladesh rebuts critical Human Rights Watch report

By JULHAS ALAM,
Associated Press Writer
AP - Friday, February 1, 2008

DHAKA, Bangladesh - Bangladesh on Friday rejected a report by the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch that said the country's military-backed interim government failed to protect human rights last year.

The global human rights watchdog in its World Report 2008 released on Thursday said the government in Bangladesh has failed to hold its security forces accountable for committing serious human rights violations.

"Sadly, 2007 marked serious setbacks for human rights in Bangladesh," said Elaine Pearson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.

"Bangladesh's interim government used the pretext of emergency rule to continue a historic pattern of impunity, with widespread allegations of security forces arresting, detaining, even killing civilians."

The report said the interim government has claimed to have stamped out organized crime and high-level corruption among members of the economic and political elite.

Tens of thousands of people were arrested in the weeks following the declaration of a state of emergency on Jan. 11, 2007, the report said.

The security forces have flouted standard arrest and detention procedures, claiming these are not required under the emergency rules, it said.

The report said several journalists and non-governmental organization workers have reportedly been threatened and intimidated by the army, intelligence agencies or paramilitary groups, which warned them against defaming the army or the government.

"The harassment and intimidation of numerous journalists and activists has instilled enough fear that the media is now censoring itself, especially when it comes to the military," said Pearson.

Touhid Hossain, secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said he was not aware of the report before The Associated Press drew his attention to it.

After learning about the content of the report Hossain immediately said: "The report is not true."

"If you analyze the statistics of 2007 compared with the previous year, you will find that the report is not true," Hossain said by phone. However, he would not elaborate.

Abdul Karim, secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs, would not immediately comment on the report.

Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January last year.

The government, which is backed by the country's influential military, came to office after President Iajuddin Ahmed declared emergency rule after weeks of violent street protests over electoral reforms.

Many basic rights have remained curtailed since then, and the right to hold any political gatherings on the streets remains suspended.

The government earlier this week asked security officials to remain careful in upholding the human rights of a detainee in custody. The government has promised new elections by the end of this year.

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