Amid criticism from Dhaka University Teachers’ Association over US ambassador’s “contradictory” approach towards family members of armed forces officers – many of whom were freedom fighters – executed during Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime, Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy called out the “double standards” in a humorous tone. On Martyred Intellectuals Day (December 14, 2022), US Ambassador Peter Haas visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’, an organisation of families of victims of enforced disappearance, in Dhaka’s Shaheenbagh. Sanjida is the sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, who is reportedly a victim of enforced disappearance that took place in 2013. Read more: DUTA slams US Ambassador for ‘contradictory’ behaviour Acting on information that the US ambassador was visiting a house in Shaheenbagh area, members of ‘Mayer Kanna’ – a platform of family members of victims of enforced disappearance during Gen Zia’s rule – showed up and tried to draw the attention of the ambassador. Awaiting justice for over four decades, the victim families sought intervention of the US ambassador for bringing the perpetrators to book. Gen Zia “unjustly executed around 1,156 army and air force personnel – by hanging or firing squad,” the ‘Mayer Kanna’ appeal reads. Terming the US ambassador’s behaviour “contradictory”, a Dhaka University Teachers’ Association statement said that the envoy went to the house of a disappeared person, but didn’t listen to what ‘Mayer Kanna’, an organisation seeking justice for those killed and disappeared during the regime of Ziaur Rahman, had to say. Read more: US envoy’s visit to Mayer Dak coordinator’s house won’t hurt ties: Info Minister Following the much-talked about incident, Sajeeb Wazed on his verified Facebook page wrote: “Why has there never been a coup in Washington, DC? Because, there is no US Embassy there!” The post gained traction on social media amid statement from BNP leaders raising concerns about diplomats’ security in the country. Many netizens pointed out the 2004 grenade attack on the then British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Anwar Choudhury, in Sylhet, when BNP was in office. Many also questioned the timing of the US ambassador’s visit on Martyred Intellectuals Day. The nation mourns the day by honouring the martyrs, going to memorials. During the Liberation War in 1971, Pakistan army with its local collaborators — many belonging to Jamaat — picked up over 1000 Bengali intellectuals and brutally killed them. The alliance between Jamaat and BNP dates back to the latter’s founding days under Gen Ziaur Rahman.

The controversy over the visit of US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas to the residence of ‘Mayer Dak’ coordinator will not harm the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday. “Of course, the United States is our development partner. They also have a great role in our development journey,” said the minister while talking to reporters at the secretariat. “I would urge the US Ambassador to stay alert about any wrong advice or attempt to make him biased like this,” he said. Those who advised Haas to visit the residence of the coordinator of Mayer Dak made him controversial, he said. Read more: Families of armed forces officers executed during Zia regime seek US ambassador’s intervention for justice “I don't know who advised him to go to the residence yesterday. Whoever gave him the advice did not give the right advice,” the minister added. “But I think the decision was up to the envoy and he also needed to focus on our special days”, he said. The minister said it would have been great if Haas had visited Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial, marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day on Wednesday. Ambassador Haas visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of Mayer Dak, a platform of the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearance, at Shaheenbagh in the city on Wednesday morning. Sanjida is the sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, reportedly a victim of enforced disappearance that took place in 2013. The minister said the Foreign Affairs Ministry was not aware of the matter and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has already said so. “Mayer Dak was formed by those who are reported to have been made victims of enforced disappearance. Many of them are being found again. Many are accused involving murder cases, many are accused of drug cases and many are fugitive convicts,” he said. BNP keeps telling them that their leaders and activists have been victims of enforced disappearance, he added. Read more: US envoy meets Momen, shares displeasure over embarrassment Following the envoy’s visit to Mayer Dak coordinator’s residence, around 50 people from another organisation ‘Mayer Kanna’ a platform of family members of the victims of enforced disappearance during Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime, went there to give a memorandum to the US Ambassador, said the minister. But those who were in charge of security of the US envoy did not let ‘Mayer Kanna’ to do that due to his security concern. “I think if the US Ambassador received their memorandum and had a talk with them, then he will not face the bitter criticism now," said the information minister said.

Awaiting justice for over four decades, families of freedom fighters, who were members of the armed forces, executed under Gen Ziaur Rahman’s rule, sought intervention of the US Ambassador Peter Haas for bringing the perpetrators to book. Under the banner of ‘Mayer Kanna’, a platform of family members of victims of enforced disappearance during Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime, they made the call to the US ambassador when he visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’, an organisation of families of victims of enforced disappearance, in Dhaka’s Shaheenbagh on Wednesday morning. Read more: US envoy meets Momen, shares displeasure over embarrassment Sanjida is the sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, who is reportedly a victim of enforced disappearance that took place in 2013. The ‘Mayer Kanna’ organisers explained their move to seek the US ambassador’s intervention is a press release signed by Kamruzzaman Lenin, who lost his father, freedom fighter Sergeant Saydur Rahman who later joined the Air Forces and was hanged “without justification” under Gen Zia’s rule. In the appeal to the US ambassador, the ‘Mayer Kanna’ organisers wrote: “We have come to you for a fair trial. We strongly believe the USA will take a strong stand against this inhumane act by killer Zia and will play a leading role in taking the issue to the international arena.” “We hope that the US government will consider these matters in a very humane manner and set a shining example in history by setting up an international commission of inquiry and taking effective steps to strengthen the rule of law and human rights,” the appeal further reads. Read more: US Ambassador visits residence of the coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’ in city After Gen Zia, founder of BNP, took over, 1000s of armed forces officers – many of them freedom fighters – were executed at his order, according to victim families and independent researchers. On December 10, marking the international day for human rights, these families described a series of ordeals that turned their lives upside down during that period. Many are still unaware of the remains of their loved ones, executed during the rule of Gen Zia. Referring to the aftermath of “hijacking and landing of a Japanese plane in Dhaka by the Japanese Red Army” in 1977, the letter for justice to the US ambassador mentioned that “forces loyal to Gen Zia” opened fire on army and air force in Dhaka, killing hundreds of officers, in the name of a coup d'état. Zia unjustly executed around 1,156 army and air force personnel – by hanging or firing squad, the appeal reads. The press release from ‘Mayer Kanna’ said that acting on information that the US ambassador was visiting a house in Shaheenbagh area in the capital, victim families, who live in the area, “showed up and drew the attention of the ambassador.”

Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday (December 14, 2022) said his ministry did not have prior information regarding the US Ambassador's visit to a particular residence where many people gathered outside the gate. Momen said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas met him on an emergency basis at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “I told him that it is our responsibility to ensure security for you and your people. I asked him (Haas) whether anybody attacked him or on his people. He replied, no,” the foreign minister told reporters, adding that they will provide the Ambassador additional security if he wants. Momen said the Ambassador did not inform his ministry beforehand about the visit and wanted to know from the Ambassador how people came to know that he was going there. “We don’t know anything about it," he added. Read more: US Ambassador hosts reception for DCAB The foreign minister also advised the US envoy to look into how the information regarding his visit was leaked, adding that his (Ambassador) people may also do that. Ambassador Haas visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of Mayer Dak, an organisation of the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearance, at Shaheenbagh in the city on Wednesday morning. Sanjida is the sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, who is reportedly a victim of enforced disappearance that took place in 2013. The Ambassador's security escort asked him to leave the place as soon as possible fearing blockade by people there. Read More: US keen to work with Bangladesh, other partners to ensure an open Indo-Pacific “Due to security reasons he left quickly. He is very unhappy with that incident. He is a bit worried,” Momen said. The US Ambassador and embassy staff ended the meeting due to "security concerns", said a spokesperson at the US Embassy in Dhaka. "We are raising this matter at the highest levels of the Bangladesh government," he said. “We cannot bar our journalists from performing their duties. They are very vocal and have the freedom and they run after events,” said the Foreign Minister while responding to a question. Read More: US to be bold in promoting its vision of a free, secure, and prosperous world: Haas The foreign minister said it is a country of free speech and people convey their messages freely and there is freedom of mobility. But, he said, people can be arrested as per the law if public and private property are damaged.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Wednesday visited the residence of  Sanjida Islam, coordinator of Mayer Dak, an organization of the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearance, at Shaheenbagh  in the city. The US envoy went there around 9 am and stayed there for about 30 minutes, Sanjida told UNB. Read more: US ambassador didn’t go to the memorial on Martyred Intellectuals’ Day, he went somewhere else: Quader He discussed several issues including enforced disappearance and killings, she said. Sanjida is sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, a victim of enforced disappearance in 2013. “When Peter Haas was leaving my residence I heard chaos in front the gate. Later I heard that a group came there and created chaos while he was getting into his vehicle,” she said. Read more: Those wanting to travel to US as visitor or student should apply as early as possible: Embassy Commenting briefly on the incident a US embassy spokesperson said, “We are raising this matter at the highest levels of Bangladesh government.”