Shama Obaed Islam, state minister for foreign affairs, said the law ministry will review any positive proposal or recommendation from the United Nations aimed at protecting human rights, adding that if it is deemed beneficial to the country, it will certainly be adopted.

She made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

Asked about a proposal from the UN Human Rights Commission for independent oversight of Bangladesh’s security forces, the state minister said the judiciary had been functioning in a completely independent and impartial manner since a democratic government was established in the country six months ago. She said cases before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) were also being handled transparently. “Human rights had been violated in the country for the past 17 years,” she added.

The prime minister will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit. Asked who would represent Bangladesh at the summit, the state minister said, “I don’t have any information on this yet. If a delegation goes, you’ll see.”