BSS-31 PM blasts Myanmar for spreading disinformation over Rohingyas

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ZCZC

BSS-31

PM-MYANMAR-ROHINGYA

PM blasts Myanmar for spreading disinformation over Rohingyas

DHAKA, Sept 2, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today accused
Myanmar of spreading disinformation over their minority Rohingya population
through misleading photographs of corpses, calling the act “disgusting”.

“This is an act of magical trick . . . What they are doing is disgusting,”
she said as foreign media investigations found Myanmar army used fake photos
in their bid to show so-called Rohingya atrocities on Burmese Buddhists
decades ago.

The premier said Myanmar committed a heinous act attacking and driving out
tens of thousands of Rohingyas of their homeland but “the biggest matter is
that they tarnished their own image”.

“They destroyed (further) their position internationally through this
fraudulence,” she said referring to the book launched by Myanmar army
carrying three fake photographs, one framing the corpses of Bengalis killed
during the 1971 Liberation War.

The caption of the photograph says the image shows Buddhists murdered by
Rohingya – members of a Muslim minority the book refers to as “Bengalis” to
imply they are illegal immigrants.

“But a Reuters examination of the photograph shows it was actually taken
during Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war, when hundreds of thousands of
Bangladeshis were killed by Pakistani troops,” the international wire service
said in a report yesterday.

It added that the second picture was grabbed in Tanzania while the third
one was falsely labeled as depicting Rohingyas entering Myanmar from
Bangladesh, when in reality it showed migrants leaving the country.

The premier said Myanmar pledged to take back their forcibly displaced
people from Bangladesh, but the reality is that they don’t act accordingly.

“Myanmar is Bangladesh’s next-door neigbour, so we never wanted any
conflicting position (with them) . . . the international community gave
supports to Bangladesh on the issue and I extend my thanks to them for it,”
she said.

The prime minister said Bangladesh has given shelter to over 11 lakh
Rohingyas and made all kinds arrangements for them while Dhaka was continuing
talks with Myanmar for their repatriation and signed an agreement to this
end.

“When talks are held with Myanmar they don’t make any objection on the
repatriation of the Rohingyas. But the reality is different,” she said.

The Myanmar side, she said, prepared a form which was filled up and
accordingly, a list containing the number of Rohingyas who would return to
their homeland was given.

The premier compared the fraudulence of Myanmar military with BNP-Jamaat’s
propaganda against the government in 2013, 2014 and 2015 using fake
photographs.

“I want to remind you the incidents happened during the years as the BNP-
Jamaat nexus posted photos on facebook that a human chain was formed in
Makkah Sharif protesting the Sayeedi’s life-term imprisonment,” she said.

The premier also recalled the pictures containing bodies of Haiti’s
earthquake victims were posted by them to mislead the people.

“I wonder if they (Myanmar) learned the fraudulence from the BNP-Jamaat,”
she said.

Responding to a question about the new government in Pakistan under the
leadership of former cricketer Imran khan, the prime minister said Imran Khan
was a cricketer and having sportsman spirit.

“Imran Khan came to power after making massive struggle. We will extend
cooperation to him if he seeks it from us . . . we’ll do it considering the
welfare of the people of Pakistan, not the conspirators,” she said.

The premier added: “We’ve no objection to share experiences with them for
the welfare of the common people.”

Sheikh Hasina said Imran Kahn hit many sixes in the field but now “it is
the time to see whether he could hit those sixes by remaining in power . . .
we’ll be happy if he can do it”.

BSS/SH/MMA/AR/2135 HRS