Bid to surround US ambassador, emergency meeting with FM held

 

Live Correspondent: A group of people tried to surround US Ambassador to Dhaka Peter Haas after he came out of missing BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon's house at Shaheenbagh in the capital on Wednesday morning.

Ambassador Peter Haas went to former BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon's Shahinbagh residence in the morning.

Sumon has been missing since 2013. His family claimed that law enforcement agencies had picked him up before the 2014 general elections.

When the US Ambassador went to Sumon's residence, some people were standing with a banner of an organization called "Mayer Kanna."

As Ambassador Peter Haas came out of the residence, people involved with "Mayer Kanna" tried to surround him and gave him a memorandum. It is believed that the organization has government patronization.

On December 10 last, an organization called "Mayer Kanna" held a rally at Cumilla Town Hall ground. Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huque and Cumilla's local member of parliament AKM Bahauddin were present at the rally.

Those who are involved in the organization said that the members of their families in the Bangladesh Air Force were hanged on false charges during the reign of President Ziaur Rahman.

Emergency meeting with Momen

Following the incident at Shaheenbagh in the capital on Wednesday morning, Ambassador Peter Haas called on Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in Dhaka urgently.

At the meeting, the US Ambassador told the Foreign Minister that he left Shaheenbagh quickly at the advice of his security team. Otherwise, they said people standing outside would block his motorcade.

Quoting the US ambassador, Foreign Minister said, "He (Ambassador Haas) got very displeased. I told him it was our responsibility to ensure your security."

"I asked him whether anyone had attacked you. In reply, he said, "No." He, however, said there were marks [of attack] on his car."

The Bangladesh foreign minister assured the US Ambassador of providing more security.

Later, the Foreign Minister said the government was not aware of that the US Ambassador would visit the Shaheenbagh area in Dhaka. The government was not also informed about the visit.

Awami League unhappy

The government did not accept the US Ambassador's presence at BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon's house gladly.

Awami League general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader questioned about the US Ambassador's visit to BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon's residence.

"I intend to ask him how many people become the victims of enforced disappearance in the United States each month. We have heard it on CNN. We have also heard how many women are raped. We saw how many people are murdered there."

Obaidul Quader also claimed that Ziaur Rahman had abducted and killed many Chhatra League and Awami League leaders.

He also claimed that many BNP leaders and workers have remained missing to escape from the cases against them.

Dhaka, 14 December (campuslive24.com)//AZ

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