US concerns over security issue of Peter Haas

Staff Reporter :
The security issue of US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has been discussed at different highest levels of the US government and it has been informed to the government of Bangladesh as well.
The recent incident of ‘obstruction’ of Peter Haas in city’s Shahinbag area during his visit to the resident of BNP leader Sajedul Islam, who has been missing for around a decade, is being discussed at different forums including Washington.
Diplomatic sources said that US Assistant Secretary of Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu on 15 December expressed his concern over the security of Haas during a discussion with Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the US Mohammad Imran.
Even the US State Department during its regular press briefing on December 14 expressed concern over the security issue of Peter Haas.
In reply to a query of the journalists, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of US State Department Vedant Patel also expressed concern over the matter.
“The US is committed to taking actions consistent with its values and recognises the respect for human rights as a prerequisite for global peace, security, and prosperity. And as a key element of our bilateral relationship, we raise human rights with our Bangladeshi counterparts when we have concerns about developments that erode space for independent media, civil society, and free and fair elections,” he said.
He further said, “The U.S. ambassador and embassy staff concluded a meeting early on December 14th about security concerns. And we have raised our concerns about this matter at the highest levels of the Bangladeshi Government.”
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Sunday said that there was no deficit of security measures for the US Ambassador.
After a meeting in the Secretariat, the Home Minister in reply to a query of the journalists said, “First of all, he (Peter) had no security lapse. There were police forces. Besides, it is the duty of the police to ensure security of him whenever the ambassador goes. Even the Officer-in-Charge went there in plain cloth as he did not get time. So there is no report of a security lapse.”
Responding to the question of information leak about the Ambassador’s visit to Shahinbag, Home Minister said, “We don’t know about it. We have not received any information from them. Now how the information has been leaked? Has it happened from their part? We don’t know. Even it is not under our jurisdiction.”
He further said that even the Foreign Ministry had not been informed about his visit to Shahinbag.
On December 14, US Ambassador when he was in the resident of BNP leader Sajedul Islam was confronted with the family members of the servicemen who had disappeared during the regime of former president Ziaur Rahman.
It was reported that the families, under the banner of Maayer Kanna, went there to give the envoy a memorandum.
Soon the Ambassador wrapped up his programme there and paid a visit to Foreign Ministry to inform the Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Then the Foreign Minister assured the envoy that the government would ensure his security.