Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has written to Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader protesting the misleading statements involving Transparency International (TI) and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
The organization claimed that the bridges minister's attempt to unfairly and purposefully impose the responsibility on TIB for matters that have nothing to do with TI or TIB is indicative of a suicidal and delusional attitude, reads a press release issued on Wednesday.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said: “We believe the honourable minister is under a certain form of confusion. Through our letter, we have informed him that he has accused us without any basis, raising allegations that have no connection with TI or TIB.
“Such accusations from the minister, who holds significant responsibilities within the government and is a prominent leader of a powerful political party, are self-destructive and misleading,” he added.
Dr Zaman further stated that a human rights organization based in the United Nations made a statement calling for the scrutiny of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the UN peacekeeping mission; therefore, it is absurd and ridiculous to attribute TI or TIB with it.
Moreover, Obaidul Quader's allegations about TI or TIB's affiliation with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are also baseless, the TIB executive director remarked.
On the other hand, it was not TI or TIB, but a local human rights organization that published the report on the Shapla Chattar incident. The matter is still pending in court, which is not unknown to the honourable minister, he added.
Apparently, the bridges minister has engaged in an attempt to impose the responsibility of the issue on TIB in an unfair and deliberate manner, Iftekharuzzaman said.
TIB expressed its openness to receiving criticism or advice from the minister regarding any matter related to TIB's work.
The organization acknowledged the minister's experience as a political and high-level government official.
However, the letter emphasized that baseless accusations or falsehoods were not welcome.
The letter was issued as Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader alleged on Monday that BNP is misusing Transparency International for disseminating false propaganda against the country's peacekeeping forces, which hold a strong reputation across several nations.
Again at a discussion in the capital's Swamibagh Ashram on Tuesday, the bridges minister strongly criticized TI for its previous report, which stated that approximately 70 individuals had lost their lives during the operation at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka in 2013.
