Foreign powers trying to create rights issue in our country: Bangla minister

Mahmud said that the general election in Bangladesh scheduled in January next year will be held as per the norms laid down in its Constitution.

“The foreign powers who are questioning the track record of human rights in Bangladesh are doing so to keep the country under pressure. There has been racist attacks in the United States too. If there is any issue in India, do these foreign powers dare to question it? The answer is no, as it is an internal matter of a sovereign nation. But these powers single out Bangladesh to keep us under pressure and to control us to some extent as Bangladesh is geo-politically very important,” he said.

Responding to queries on Dhaka’s purported proximity with China, Mahmud said Beijing’s investment in Bangladesh has come down in recent years. “If you go by data, the amount of investment by China in Bangladesh has come down over the years. But yes, they do get some contracts as their bidding rates are very low,” he added.