'No prison in Bangladesh where people are tortured like in USA's Guantanamo'

The human rights situation in Bangladesh is better than the United States in many instances, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud today (April 14, 2022) dismissing the report of the US on human rights issues in Bangladesh.

"We do not agree with the US human rights report," the minister told the reporters after attending a discussion titled "Mahe Ramadan and Mass Media" and an Iftar Mahfil organised by Bangladesh Sampadak Forum in the city.

The data in this report might have been collected from certain sources. And the sources are one-sided and provide a lot of misinformation, he added.

"In fact, in many cases, the human rights situation in Bangladesh is better than in the United States, though not in all cases."

"There are no prisons in our country like the way people are tortured at Guantanamo Bay of the US," said the minister.

The unarmed black man George Floyd had been pinned down and killed by a police officer in the US, he added.

Hasan Mahmud further said four persons were killed even in the US parliament which never happened in Bangladesh.

"The judicial department is working very independently in Bangladesh," he said, adding that they are examining the report.

The minister also said the relation between Bangladesh and the US is very close. Besides, the security force mentioned in the report (Rab) has also taken technical assistance from the US.

"I think there is an opportunity to correct any shortcomings in the future if we have any help with this technical assistance and other issues," he added.

Meanwhile, the World Bank hinted at higher growth of Bangladesh economy this year in a recent report, he said.

"Those who criticise our country all the time, I hope they will stop criticising after this report," he said, referring to the World Bank's report as the country's economy has turned around after the pandemic.