No new sanctions before election: Foreign Ministry

Staff Reporter :
The foreign ministry has ruled out the probability of any new sanctions or punitive measures, including trade embargo, before the upcoming general election early next year.

“I unequivocally want to say that there is no probability of sanctions or any punitive measure before election,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said on Monday.

He came up with the remarks in reply to a question of the journalists in the State Guest House Padma after a meeting with State Secretary of International Development and Foreign Trade of Sweden Diana Janse.

Asked about any probability of trade moratorium by the West including the US, Shahriar Alam said, “Not at all.

I don’t know where they (media outlet) have found it.

I can clearly tell you that such matter will not happen.”

He further said that such matters were being circulated in a planned way to create fear and panic among people.

Apart from this, the State Minister also called upon the media to assess things on its own merits and based on facts and figures before publishing news.

Drawing attention to BNP’s position not to go to election under the incumbent government and they have said it to the visiting US pre-election assessment team, Shahriar said, “The BNP not only boycotted election in 2014, but also tried to foil it.”

“We want to say that the election will be held as per the constitution and under the supervision of the Election Commission. Legal action will be taken against any party that will try to foil election,” he continued.

Stating the meeting discussion, he said, “We have discussed about the election.

I have informed them about the news election laws.

I have also talked about what steps the government has taken to hold a free and fair election.

Besides, I have told them about the past elections and the caretaker government.”

During the meeting, they also discussed various bilateral issues between Bangladesh and Sweden, including the Rohingya issue, trade, the Indo-Pacific issue, and the impact of the Ukraine conflict.

Regarding the Indo-Pacific issue, the Shahriar Alam said, “She wanted to know about the Indo-Pacific outlook.

We have explained that we have an Indo-Pacific outlook based on our foreign policy. They have welcomed it.

Their position is almost the same.”

Regarding the Rohingya issue, the State Minister said, “We have discussed the Rohingya crisis.

They will visit Rohingya camps.

After returning to their country, they will consider how they can help repatriate the Rohingya and provide humanitarian assistance.”

In reply to a question about Sweden’s desire about Bangladesh election, Diana Janse said, “We want to see free and fair elections in Bangladesh, and the government is responsible for it.”