Tofail, Nasim slam NHRC chief

Two ministers have come down hard on National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman Mizanur Rahman Friday after he criticised the government on security of religious minorities. Health Minister Mohammad Nasim also questioned Rahman’s political ideology at the biennial conference of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad at Dhaka University. In his speech, Rahman had said cases accusing unnamed people in recent communal attacks were lodged only for ‘business’. Nasim and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed both reacted sharply, saying the remark would only go in favour of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, according to a news agency. The NHRC chief said the Bangladesh government had failed to provide security to the minority communities and justice over the attacks on them in October and November last year. An anti-independence quarter was torturing the minorities, he said. Addressing the ministers at the programme, “I would like to tell the influential ministers of the government that during our spot visits the Human Rights Commission found out that only a handful of people were named in the cases over the communal attacks, but unnamed hundreds or thousands were accused.” “The cases were filed like this for business, not to find the perpetrators. This kind of business with people’s security must be stopped,” Mizanur Rahman said. Health Minister Nasim addressing the event said it was clear to everyone who were behind those attacks. The Awami League Presidium member said this kind of remarks could only increase the heat and do nothing effective. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed also took a dig at the NHRC Chairman for his comments. “Someone gave his speech addressing the ministers here. But he did not even mention the names of those involved in the communal violence.”