Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) today urged the government to disclose accurate and verifiable information about the citizenship status of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir, saying his appointment under the technocrat quota would be unconstitutional if he held foreign citizenship when he assumed office.
The anti-graft watchdog also criticised the state minister for responding with counter-questions rather than directly answering journalists seeking clarification about his alleged dual citizenship.
“The fundamental question is whether he retained his foreign citizenship when he assumed office as state minister,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said in a statement.
“He has an obligation to directly address such a clear constitutional question involving the public interest,” he said.
According to TIB, media reports have said that the state minister holds foreign citizenship and had previously been involved in active politics in that country.
Citing Article 56(2) of the Constitution, Iftekharuzzaman said anyone appointed as a minister or state minister without being a member of parliament must still be eligible to be elected as an MP.
He also cited Article 66(2)(c), which disqualifies a person from being elected as an MP if they acquire citizenship of a foreign state or acknowledge allegiance to it, as well as Article 66(2A), which addresses the renunciation of foreign citizenship.
“Therefore, his appointment under the technocrat quota while retaining dual citizenship is in conflict with the Constitution,” he said.
TIB said the state minister had failed to explain his position on the citizenship issue clearly and instead responded to journalists with questions such as “Who is reporting this?” and “Why are you so bothered about it?”
Iftekharuzzaman said the response reflected the “shoot the messenger” approach associated with the ousted authoritarian regime.
“Who reported the news or raised the question is not the issue here,” the TIB executive director said.
He said the state minister could have set an example of transparency and accountability by directly answering the constitutional and legal questions and disclosing relevant evidence.
Instead, he said, the state minister’s “resentful and aggressive counter-questions were unbecoming of the dignity and responsibility of a state minister,” ethically unacceptable and cause for concern.
Such conduct could put “unreasonable and unwarranted pressure” on journalists asking legitimate questions in the public interest, TIB said.
It could also make journalists reluctant to raise uncomfortable issues involving people in power and create self-censorship, ultimately undermining the people’s right to know, the organisation said.
Iftekharuzzaman said the issue was particularly significant because it concerned the office of state minister for foreign affairs and could have implications for Bangladesh’s international reputation.
“In this situation, the government must immediately disclose accurate and verifiable information about the citizenship status of the state minister for foreign affairs and take an appropriate decision on the constitutional validity of his appointment,” he said.
The organisation also called on the government to publicly disclose the citizenship status and relevant official documents of any minister, state minister or equivalent office-holder if questions arise about dual citizenship, citing the need for transparency and constitutional accountability.
