Diplomatic missions in Dhaka on Monday called on all stakeholders to exercise “restraint, eschew violence and work together” to create the conditions for free, fair, participatory, and peaceful elections. The missions in a joint statement also expressed deep concern over the recent violence during political gatherings in Dhaka. “The governments of Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States are deeply concerned by the political violence during political gatherings in Dhaka on 28 October,” said the joint statement signed by the embassies and high commissions of the countries. The countries extended their condolences for the loss of life and to those injured. The statement came hours before the scheduled briefing of the government for the diplomats. The government will brief diplomats stationed in Dhaka, representatives of UN agencies and international organizations on the current situation in Bangladesh this afternoon. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will brief the diplomats at state guesthouse Jamuna at 4 pm. Senior Cabinet members and officials of the government will attend the briefing.

Russia has said the December 14 incident is an “expected result” of the activity of the American ambassador, who — under the pretext of caring about the rights of the citizens of Bangladesh — was “persistently trying to influence” the domestic processes in the country.  “As of late, his colleagues from the British and German diplomatic missions have been engaged in the same cause and have allowed themselves to openly give recommendations to the local authorities regarding transparency and inclusiveness in the parliamentary elections scheduled for next year,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in Moscow. Russia said they believe that such actions that “violate” the basic principles of non-interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states are “unacceptable”. Read more: US Embassy Dhaka wants to know if Russian 'principle of non-interference' applies in Ukraine The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said they have noted the widely publicized incident involving the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, whose security was “allegedly threatened” by activists from a local public organization when he went to meet with the family of a supporter of an opposition political party on December 14, 2022 in Dhaka.  In 2013, the opposition party supporter went missing, the Russian spokesperson said. “If anybody wants to ask: How about the terms ‘diplomat, immunity, embassy, security’? We always urge these things in accordance with international law and the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations,” she said.  “We urge the US, the United Kingdom and other countries to care about and comment not only on cases of their own security, but also to support their colleagues when the countries and their representatives, including at international organizations, raise questions about the security of their embassies and consular facilities,” Zakharova added. “They do not care about this. At best, they remain silent and at worst, they justify those who do this. When international terrorists committed a series of attacks against our embassy in Syria, we urged the Americans to respond to this through the UN Security Council,” she said. Read more: Russia committed to ‘not interfering in the domestic affairs’ of Bangladesh: Embassy statement She said, “Everything was obvious. There can be no political justification for an unwillingness to publicly take a stand and use the common voice of the Security Council.” The spokesperson said Washington did not support Russia’s proposal on the council taking a clear stance on the protection of diplomats and condemning terrorist attacks at embassies and against diplomats.  “There cannot be any double standards, only a joint consolidated position,” said the Russian foreign ministry official.