UNB, Dhaka :
Accusing the government of distorting British Prime Minister David Cameron’s remark he made during a meeting with Sheikh Hasina about Bangladesh’s January-5 election, BNP on Saturday cautioned that such attitude may dent the country’s ties with foreign countries and international agencies.
“Spreading lies about the statements of foreign friends and international bodies is devoid of diplomatic norms as it creates
confusion. There’s a strong possibility that the country’s ties with foreign countries and international organisations can be hampered due the government’s such attitude,” said BNP vice chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury.
He was addressing a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The BNP leader said the government’s falsehood about the British PM’s remark has forced the Downing Street to issue a press statement on the meeting. “Issuing such a statement from the British PM’s Office on the meeting with a foreign country’s head of government is quite unusual.”
“The Bangladesh Foreign Minister has said David Cameron told Hasina that the election was over. It’s past. Now we look at the future. But the Downing Street spokesperson’s statement on the meeting proved that the government resorted to lies,” Mobin said.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday on PM’s UK visit, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said the British government wants to strengthen its relations with Bangladesh on all fronts to help Bangladesh take its development trajectory to a newer height.
“The election is over. It’s past. Now we look at the future. We want to work with your government and strengthen the ties,” he quoted British Prime Minister David Cameron as saying during his meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hours later, Downing Street spokesperson in a statement said David Cameron expressed UK’s disappointment over the January-5 election in Bangladesh and laid emphasis on an open society and political system in which democratic political participation and media freedoms are respected.
“The PM noted our disappointment over the January 2014 Bangladesh election with more than half of constituencies uncontested,” the spokesman said.
Reacting to the Foreign Minister’s remark, Shamsher Mobin said the government is continuously trying to deny the concern of the foreign countries about the January-5lection and their disapproval to it by resorting to lies.
He said, the government is showing such an attitude as it is in an uneasy situation by usurping power through a voter-less and unaccepted election.
