German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Troster on Sunday had a “closed door” meeting with BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. The 45-minute meeting that began around 3:00 pm was held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office. After the meeting, Amir Khosru briefed reporters about the talk. Read more: BNP’s Khosru for preparing lists of overenthusiastic cops, AL cadres “The German Ambassador along with an official of their foreign ministry came here to our office to talk to us. But we don’t want to disclose what we discussed since it was a private meeting,” he said. He said it is the responsibility of the foreign diplomats to report at their headquarters about the political, social, economic and cultural affairs of the countries they have been given postings. “As part of that responsibility, the German Ambassador held the meeting with us,” the BNP leader said. Read more: BNP to intensify movement for Khaleda’s release: Khosru BNP Organising Secretary Shama Obaed was also present at the meeting.

BNP on Thursday denounced German Ambassador in Dhaka Achim Troster’s assertion that he was misquoted on democracy and human rights in Bangladesh  after his meeting with the party’s leaders last month. “He (the ambassador) did not say it correctly. Our leader (Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury) who spoke after that meeting didn’t say anything quoting the German Ambassador,” said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Also read: German envoy “unhappy” over BNP misquoting him on democracy & human rights in Bangladesh The ambassador, Fakhrul maintained, mistook it as misquoting him what Amir Khosru said in general terms about their meeting with the envoy.   Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman by placing a wreath at his grave, along with the leaders of the new partial committee of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD). Earlier on Wednesday, the German envoy expressed his displeasure over what he said BNP misquoted him on democracy and human rights in Bangladesh.  “I read that I had uttered concerns about the human rights situation and democracy in the country. This is not true. I was unhappy about this (misquoting),” he said while responding to a question at "DCAB Talk" hosted by Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at Jatiya Press Club. Also read: New Market Clashes: BNP questions ‘police inaction’ Earlier on March 17, the ambassador and his deputy had a closed-door’ meeting with Mirza Fakhrul and Amir Khosru at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Amir Khosru, a BNP standing committee member said, "We’ve discussed different matters relating to our bilateral relations, democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh. Asked what the German envoy said about Bangladesh’s democracy and human rights, Khosru said they are concerned about it.

German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Troster on Thursday had a two-hour ‘closed-door’ meeting with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and discussed various issues relating to the next national election, the rule of law and human rights. The meeting that began around 5pm was held at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office. After the meeting, BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud briefed reporters about the outcome of the meeting. Also read: BNP having harder time than 1/11 period: Fakhrul "We’ve discussed different matters relating to our bilateral relations, democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh,” he said. The BNP leader said the German envoy said their country is concerned about Bangladesh’s democracy and human rights. Replying to a question, he said they also talked about Bangladesh’s next general election as the entire world is keeping sharp eyes on that election. Also read: EC’s dialogue a fresh drama: BNP Khosru said the German Ambassador wanted to know from them about the next polls and the prevailing situation in the country. “They wanted to know what’s going to happen in the next election in Bangladesh?  They also have had their observations on it.” He said Achim Troster enquired them about the health condition of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, too.