BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that Wednesday's incident involving the US Ambassador, when he went to meet with the family of an enforced disappearance victim, has brought into question the security of the diplomatic corps in Bangladesh.
Talking to reporters at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on Thursday, Khosru also accused the government of trying to intimidate foreign diplomats "like it has the country’s people," to prolong power.
“This is a matter of deep concern. A diplomat went to a special programme and then a ruling party-backed group in the name of another organisation with their (AL's) help went there. It’s unlawful,” the BNP leader said.
He said everyone has the freedom to hold their own programmes. “But the process of going to another programme, disrupting that programme and diverting the programme in a different direction speaks of an undemocratic attitude.”
“The people of Bangladesh have been suffering from insecurity. It is also now being seen that the safety of the diplomats is becoming questionable,” the BNP leader said.
US Ambassador Peter Haas on Wednesday visited the Shaheenbagh residence of Sanjida Islam, sister of disappeared BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, and coordinator of Maayer Dak (Mother's Call), an advocacy group of the families of enforced disappearance victims.
There however, he was intercepted and confronted by members of another organisation - Maayer Kanna (Mother's Tears) - a platform of family members of victims of earlier regimes, specifically the administration of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Sajedul Islam Sumon reportedly disappeared in 2013. Sanjida founded Maayer Dak in the vein of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, which was formed for the enforced disappearance victims of Argentina's last military dictatorship. Similar organisations exist in other countries around South America where significant numbers disappeared under military governments starting in the Seventies.
Khosru, a BNP standing committee member, said this was not the first such incident as similar incidents happened in the past with the help of the government and the ruling party. “I think action should be taken against those responsible for this incident."
He recalled that former US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat's vehicle came under attack by the ruling party activists, he said, when she went to join a dinner party.
“No one was arrested and no one got punished after attacking Bernicat's motorcade. It has clearly manifested who was behind that incident and the government’s motive,” Khosru said.
He said the government wants this kind of incident to happen so that an atmosphere of fear and panic is created in the country.
Read: US Ambassador visits residence of the coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’ in city
“The way they (govt) want to suppress the country’s people through intimidation, now the same way they’re trying cling to power by creating a different atmosphere of fear for the diplomats. The latest incident has proved it,” the BNP leader said.
The BNP leader said the same group of people, who tried to create trouble at the US envoy’s programme on Wednesday, also tried to obstruct BNP’s programme on human rights a few months back.
“Such efforts to impede various programmes with the help of the government have become a character of Awami League. They can hold their programmes, but it is illegal to try to create trouble at the programmes of others with the backing of the government,” he observed.
About Bangladesh’s relations with the United States, the BNP leader said, “We have very good relations with this country and we have trade and multilateral relationship with them and our ties with them are very important."
Khosru bemoaned the incident, saying it will 'seriously dent' Bangladesh’s image across the globe.
About the Foreign Minister’s remark that the US diplomat did not inform the government about the programme, Khosru said: “Does it mean diplomats can’t join any programme without informing the govt? Why were police roaming the area (Shaheenbagh) two days before the programme if the government was not aware of the event? There’s also a police team with the ambassador. So, the government was aware of it.”
He said it cannot be an excuse that the government could not ensure the safety of the US diplomat as he did not inform the government about his programme. “You will get security if you inform the government, otherwise you get your own security. The government’s attitude is reflecting the character of security of this country.”
Khosru warned that if this trend continues, the security of the people of the country as well as foreign diplomats will become questionable.
He said people belonging to Mayer Kanna did not face any action earlier as well for obstructing some BNP programmes.
“The government is supposed to take action against those who have created troubles in the US Ambassador’s programme. But we’ve so far not seen any such step… The government itself is exposing through their actions that they are behind it," the BNP leader observed.
He said it is clear from the ministers’ remarks that such an incident happened with the backing of the government. “They’re indirectly supporting the incident as it can’t take place without their help.”
Khosru said the government should take action against those involved in creating trouble in the US diplomat’s programme.