‘Priya Saha’s allegation false and fabricated’

Terming the allegation made by Priya Saha to US President Donald Trump about Bangladesh as ‘false and fabricated,’ Kazi Reazul Hoque, former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), today said she should be tried for spreading such falsehood.

“Bangladesh has been demeaned as she (Priya) made a false and fabricated allegation to the US president. It is a punishable offence. We demand justice in this regard,” Reazul Hoque said.

While addressing a programme at the National Press Club in Dhaka this afternoon, Reazul Hoque also called upon the government to conduct an investigation into the matter to bring Priya under the purview of the legal process.

Priya Saha, a Bangladeshi national, participated in the Second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom held at the US Department of State in Washington, DC on July 16-18.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen also attended the meeting.

Delegates from 106 countries, including about 40 Foreign Ministers, took part in the meeting at the invitation of Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State.

Priya Saha, one of the organising secretaries of Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad, was seen telling US President Donald Trump, among other things, that “37 million Hindu, Buddhist and Christian people have been disappeared from Bangladesh”.

Rejecting the allegation, Reazul Haque said, “Bangladesh is traditionally a country of communal harmony and based on it our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now leading the country towards its financial progress and development.”

He also expressed his disappointment as the Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad has yet to come with any remark in this regard.

Reazul Hoque also expressed his doubt whether there are 37 million Hindu, Buddhist and Christian people in the country.

About the recent spate of rapes across the country, the former NHRC chief said trial of the cases relating to rape and women repression are not being held properly due to the tardiness.

Claiming that only enforcement of law and deployment of the members of law enforcement agencies are not enough to curb such violent offences, he said a social movement is needed to get rid of the situation.

He also came down heavily on some human rights organisations as they presented false and fictitious reports to different foreign donor agencies only to garner financial support from them.

He called upon such organistions to refrain from such activities and do something for the betterment of the society.