Editorial Desk :
In the wake of attack on the US ambassador Ms Mercia Bernicat’s car and two other vehicles of her motorcade by armed men as she was returning from a farewell dinner in the city, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali held a meeting with her on Tuesday evening at his official residence. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriyar Alam and Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque also attended it.
On the US side Political and Economic Councilor of the US embassy Bill Mueller was present. The presence of all three persons in the meeting in charge of diplomacy and steering the country’s foreign policy no doubt speaks of the crucial significance of the meeting.
We do not know for sure the points of discussion at the meeting but we shall not be wrong if the topic of the unusual incident of using violence against motorcade of
the US ambassador was discussed seriously. Neither the ambassador nor the foreign secretary agreed to speak to the press after the meeting.
The embassy in a statement on August 4 had criticized the brutal attacks on the students in the streets saying students have the right to vent their grievances and there was no justification of such attack on students; it can’t be acceptable. The statement was not accepted well by the government and Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu in a statement yesterday rejected it as misrepresenting the facts.
An earlier statement of the US embassy on recourse to brutality on students spearheading quota movement along with such statements by several other missions in Dhaka also caused misgiving and Foreign Minister had conveyed the government ‘dissatisfaction and frustration’ at a diplomatic briefing at his office terming such statements as an interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Actions by our government do not show it has matured understanding of global concerns over use of brutal force to suppress non political legitimate demands of students. It is very disappointing that our well-experienced ones in the government also have become so sycophantic that they do not care that government is wrongly advised and such simplistic reactions condemning anything and everything coming from important countries cannot be seen as good judgement.
But why this attack on the ambassador’s motorcade and who had carried out it is not yet clear amidst mounting speculations and the Foreign Minister and others in the meeting had surely tried to explain the situation as most unwelcome and our government would seriously investigate the matter to allay the displeasure of the ambassador and reduce tension in bilateral relations. The Foreign Minister assured the ambassador that attackers would be identified soon. But so far we know no public reaction came from the government after the incident. We find it surprising.
Many fear that it may harm the bilateral relation given the already fractured ties of the government with the USA on many issues including human rights and the US stance on a free and fair election.
It is a problem when anyone speaks of justice and brings forward the case of human rights violation our government want to avoid it saying none has the right to interfere in the country’s internal matter. But sheltering violence and wrong policies are now causing bigger trouble to the government.
Reports said the US government has already sent a note verbal to Bangladesh government on Sunday demanding full and transparent probe to identify the armed attackers in shortest possible time and put them to justice.
We want to make it clear that our people feels strongly when some people, motivated by their special kind of moribund politics are found anxious to create misunderstanding in our relationship with democratic free world. Our people by history and political background are with the democratic free world. Those who think otherwise are in conflict with our people. That is the kind of political tragedy our people are confronting.
In the wake of attack on the US ambassador Ms Mercia Bernicat’s car and two other vehicles of her motorcade by armed men as she was returning from a farewell dinner in the city, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali held a meeting with her on Tuesday evening at his official residence. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriyar Alam and Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque also attended it.
On the US side Political and Economic Councilor of the US embassy Bill Mueller was present. The presence of all three persons in the meeting in charge of diplomacy and steering the country’s foreign policy no doubt speaks of the crucial significance of the meeting.
We do not know for sure the points of discussion at the meeting but we shall not be wrong if the topic of the unusual incident of using violence against motorcade of
the US ambassador was discussed seriously. Neither the ambassador nor the foreign secretary agreed to speak to the press after the meeting.
The embassy in a statement on August 4 had criticized the brutal attacks on the students in the streets saying students have the right to vent their grievances and there was no justification of such attack on students; it can’t be acceptable. The statement was not accepted well by the government and Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu in a statement yesterday rejected it as misrepresenting the facts.
An earlier statement of the US embassy on recourse to brutality on students spearheading quota movement along with such statements by several other missions in Dhaka also caused misgiving and Foreign Minister had conveyed the government ‘dissatisfaction and frustration’ at a diplomatic briefing at his office terming such statements as an interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Actions by our government do not show it has matured understanding of global concerns over use of brutal force to suppress non political legitimate demands of students. It is very disappointing that our well-experienced ones in the government also have become so sycophantic that they do not care that government is wrongly advised and such simplistic reactions condemning anything and everything coming from important countries cannot be seen as good judgement.
But why this attack on the ambassador’s motorcade and who had carried out it is not yet clear amidst mounting speculations and the Foreign Minister and others in the meeting had surely tried to explain the situation as most unwelcome and our government would seriously investigate the matter to allay the displeasure of the ambassador and reduce tension in bilateral relations. The Foreign Minister assured the ambassador that attackers would be identified soon. But so far we know no public reaction came from the government after the incident. We find it surprising.
Many fear that it may harm the bilateral relation given the already fractured ties of the government with the USA on many issues including human rights and the US stance on a free and fair election.
It is a problem when anyone speaks of justice and brings forward the case of human rights violation our government want to avoid it saying none has the right to interfere in the country’s internal matter. But sheltering violence and wrong policies are now causing bigger trouble to the government.
Reports said the US government has already sent a note verbal to Bangladesh government on Sunday demanding full and transparent probe to identify the armed attackers in shortest possible time and put them to justice.
We want to make it clear that our people feels strongly when some people, motivated by their special kind of moribund politics are found anxious to create misunderstanding in our relationship with democratic free world. Our people by history and political background are with the democratic free world. Those who think otherwise are in conflict with our people. That is the kind of political tragedy our people are confronting.
