Apparently expressing displeasure over Washington’s idea of political dialogue, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said certain foreign entities in Bangladesh should apply for political registration and turn into political groups to talk about Bangladesh’s internal affairs and do politics.
“I often think some foreign organizations should turn into political entity, I think they should apply for registration that they will also form a political body, will take political position in our internal affairs. Let them form a party and see how many votes they get,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when his attention was drawn about US Ambassador Peter Hass’ remarks over political dialogue.
Also read: Haas meets CEC, hopes all sides will engage in dialogue without preconditions
Ambassador Haas hoped that all sides going forward will engage in a “dialogue” without preconditions to de-escalate tensions and find a path forward to free, fair and peaceful elections.
“Political violence by any side has no place in democratic elections,” he said after his meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal at the EC office.
Asked about media reports over further US sanctions, Momen said, “Forget about that. It does not matter….we have nothing to be worried. Any country can deny visa to anyone.”
Also read: UN chief calls on all parties in Bangladesh to refrain from violence, excessive use of force
Highlighting BNP’s “brutality and destruction” FM Momen said it is shame for the party and it should expel those BNP activists involved in attacks on police, hospital and chief justice’s residence.
“It is a matter of shame, the party (BNP) should give a public statement for the misdeeds. I would expect from BNP that they should expel them,” he said.
Momen said Bangladesh saw massive development over the last 15 years due to peace and stability in the country.
He said BNP needs maturity as their behavior shows they are doing something beyond imagination by such attacks. “They don’t abide by laws.”
Referring to the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said strikes and blockades by BNP cost the country a total of Tk 1,600 crore (or USD 192.3 million) or 0.2 percent of the GDP per day.
In the early 2000s, BNP-Jamaat created an atmosphere of violence and intimidation, particularly during the 2001 general election, which was marred by widespread violence and allegations of vote rigging, Momen told the diplomats on Monday.
After the election, he said, BNP-Jamaat activists committed looting, rape and murders, particularly targeting the minority community.
In 2013, before the general election, BNP and its allies vandalized several thousand vehicles and set many of those on fire using petrol bombs, at times burning alive the passengers stuck inside. Some of them are still living with horrific scars and trauma, Momen mentioned.
More than 400 people, including 20 law enforcement officers, were killed in the petrol bomb and hand grenade attacks, he said.