Dhaka, Aug 25 (IANS) Bangladesh’s anti-graft watchdog on Tuesday termed “unconstitutional” the appointment of dual citizen Humaiun Kobir as State Minister for Foreign Affairs under the technocrat quota and questioned his decision to assume office without publicly clarifying his position on the issue, local media reported.
In a statement, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) criticised the state minister for evading journalists’ questions about his dual citizenship status by responding with counter-questions rather than providing a clear answer.
“The fundamental question is whether he retained his foreign citizenship when he assumed office as state minister. He has an obligation to directly address such a clear constitutional question involving the public interest,” leading Bangladeshi newspaper ‘The Daily Star’ quoted TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman as saying.
Stressing the need for transparency and accountability, it urged the state minister to clearly explain his position on dual citizenship, the central issue behind the controversy over his appointment.
Citing several media reports, TIB said that the state minister for foreign affairs reportedly holds foreign citizenship and has also been involved in active politics in the country.
Condemning the State Minister’s response, the TIB Executive Director said, “When someone in a responsible state position is questioned about a matter of public interest, it is expected that he will give a straightforward, factual answer. By answering the relevant constitutional and legal questions and disclosing the necessary evidence, the state minister for foreign affairs could instead have set an example of transparency and accountability.”
“Rather than doing so, his resentful and aggressive counter-questions directed at media outlets reporting on his dual citizenship and journalists raising questions about the matter are unbecoming of the dignity and responsibility of a State Minister; they are ethically unacceptable and deeply concerning,” he added.
Emphasising that the matter was embarrassing for the government, Iftekharuzzaman said that the response by the state minister runs contrary to free media, freedom of expression, and independent journalism, another leading Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.
“An aggressive response from a person holding a responsible state position to legitimate questions concerning the public interest not only places unreasonable and unwarranted pressure on the journalists concerned, but also poses a threat to independent journalism. It may create a tendency to make it risky for journalists to ask questions about uncomfortable issues involving those in power or holding state positions. It may also increase the risk of creating self-censorship or a ‘chilling effect’ among journalists. Ultimately, it undermines the people’s right to know,” he noted.
The TIB Executive Director said that the issue involved a highly important state position, such as that of the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, and therefore could not be overlooked given its potential global implications and the risk of “avoidable reputational embarrassment” for Bangladesh.
“In this situation, it is imperative that the government immediately disclose accurate and verifiable information regarding the State Minister for Foreign Affairs’ actual citizenship status and take an appropriate decision on the constitutional validity of his appointment. Attacking the media for posing legitimate constitutional and public-interest inquiries, rather than addressing them, undermines the right to information and media freedom,” he added.
TIB also urged the government to publicly disclose the official positions and documentary evidence regarding the citizenship status of any other minister, state minister or person holding an equivalent office if questions arise over their dual citizenship, in the interest of transparency and constitutional accountability.
–IANS
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