By Ahmed Faruque Hassan, IOL Bangladesh correspondent

DHAKA, November 24 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Bangladesh government sharply reacted to the European Parliament resolution on Bangladesh, saying the resolution is one sided and does not reflect the realities on the ground.

The European Parliament, in a resolution Thursday, November 21, said that "serious human rights violation" is going on in Bangladesh as a result of the "Operation Clean Heart" joint operation of the Army.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said the government decision to involve the army in the joint operation to check the deteriorating law and order situation was taken on a strictly non-partisan basis and keeping the interest of the common citizens in mind.

“The decision has been welcomed in the society as a whole, because it has led to a sharp improvement in the law and order situation in the country, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan and the ensuing Eid-ul-Fitr,” he said.

Even the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament has supported the deployment of the Army in the joint drive.

Though detail of the resolution and discussion on it is not available here, local news papers run news items. In the adopted resolution, Members of European Parliament say “Following the recent outbreaks of violence in Bangladesh, the attacks on the Hindu community and the resultant arbitrary arrests and torture under the military's "Operation Clean Heart" program, MEPs adopted a resolution expressing concern for growing "Islamic radicalization" in the country.

Parliament recognizes the need to improve the state of law and order but at the same time wants the government to set up an independent body to carry out an inquiry into the recent killings. There is a further call on the government to release political prisoners and a recommendation that a Bangladesh National Human Right's Commission be set up”

But the reality is that law and order situation of the country was so much in a bad shape prior to the beginning of the operation that the people of the country became virtual hostage in the hands of the miscreants. Every day there were hijacks, robberies, looting and murders. The police force alone with its limited manpower and logistics was not at all able to tackle the situation.

European diplomats, donor agencies and others concerned started realizing the situation. They, very rightly, started observing that poor law and order situation has damaged the image of the country. Development endeavors were being thwarted by aggravated law and order situation and foreign donors and investors have been discouraged to finance its development programs and invest in the country. The imminent and number one task, they suggested, was to improve the law and order situation.

The foreign office spokesperson said there was global recognition that a serious law and order situation was prevailing in the country, which the present government had inherited from the past and that needed to be addressed in all earnest.

He clarified that “the military operations are being carried out under the directive of a constitutional and democratically elected government without any partisan approach whatsoever. The arrested include members from the ruling party also.”

The spokesman further added that the ordinary citizens today feel far more safe and secured in the light of the joint drive. About the allegations of death in custody, he said, the Army has set up necessary investigation committees under the directives of the Prime Minister to look into these allegations and take action accordingly.

In a report by government news agency BSS said that the joint operation "clean heart" against terrorism, widely appreciated at home, came under the criticism abroad and target of baseless propaganda by international lobbying organization with the active support from a mainstream opposition party. Awami Foundation Bangladesh has circulated a resolution in the media here taken by European Parliament which is an independent body not having any connection with the decision making process of the European Union.

One western diplomat in Dhaka said European Parliament is like a ‘bibek’ (character playing conscience in a Bengali drama), working as a sort of global conscience and sometimes functioning purely for lobbyist like a lobbying firm, who can convince it with their cause. The European parliament did not have any linkage with the decision making process of European Union which in fact works according to the European Council constituted by 15 European ministers of European Union member states.

In the past, it has been observed that European Parliament took resolution on some controversial issues. It took resolutions three times for complete withdrawal of Bangalees from Chittagong Hill Tracts areas. It was never supported by the European union. It has also decorated controversial writer Taslima Nasreen with the Shakharaov Award. In fact, European Parliament is an independent body formed by 15 percent casting votes of the member states of EU. It actually works as global conscience, but used as a lobbying platform.

Interestingly, while the propagation is continuing against the successful drive against terrorism, Indian newspapers are dishing out some absurd stories relating to the terrorists who are being arrested in Indian Territory. The journalists who are writing the stories seems to have less knowledge about the terrorists who have taken shelter in India and trying to brand them as ISI agents with malafide intention. The Indian newspapers are trying to find out string of ISI with the branded terrorists who left Bangladesh and staying in India to escape the on going joint drive against terrorism.

The European Parliaments resolution on "serious human rights violation" in Bangladesh was raised jointly by the human rights rapporteur of the parliament, Johan Van Hecke (elected from Belgium), and parliament member Van Den Bos (elected from Netherlands), both from the liberal faction of the parliament. Finally, the resolution was supported by all the groups of the parliament and passed in the parliament unanimously.

The parliament strongly criticized the "Operation Clean Heart" by the armed forces of Bangladesh. It has expressed its serious concern on the 25 deaths during first 25 days of the said operation. It is said in the resolution that the army has arrested without any judicial mandate, the members of the Bangladesh parliament, opposition political leaders and followers, even they have occupied the opposition Awami League's research center CRI (Center for Research and Information).

The Parliament has expressed its serious concern at the "arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, killings and deteriorating human rights situation in Bangladesh" following the military's "Operation Clean Heart" and fears that the crackdown on crime is also being "used for politically partisan purposes." The parliament also expressed concern at what it said the growing Islamic radicalization in the country since the BNP-Jamaat led four-party alliance has come to power.

It has reminded that the EU-Bangladesh cooperation agreement is "based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, and that violation of Article 1 is a breach that can lead to suspension of the Agreement."

The European Parliament has called on the Bangladesh government to "immediately institute an independent body to conduct a prompt and fair investigation into the killings and acts of torture and to ensure that its findings are made public and those responsible for deaths and ill treatment are made accountable before courts of law."