MEDIA reports said on Thursday that the British Council has temporarily shut its doors in Bangladesh to review security procedures. British Council had been working in Dhaka since 1951 and at present they have offices and learning centers in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet. In a press release British Council officials in the capital said like Bangladesh people’s concern of safety and security, they are also concerned about the safety of their staff and customers. It is their top priority. Therefore they have taken the decision to temporarily shut the offices and learning centers in order to review their security practices. It hopes to resume normal services to the public once new security measures are in place.
As it appears that the decision has come after two brutal attacks by militants in Dhaka and Sholakia in Kishoreganj district in recent past killing many people. Police killed nine suspected militants in the capital on early Tuesday. Earlier, UK government alerted its citizens in Bangladesh on July 7 following militant attack on a Café House asking them to remain alert and avoid visiting areas where foreign nationals are known to gather. So, the closure of British Council in Bangladesh has not come in surprise. We don’t know how long it will remain closed and when will get opened to serve clients’ requirements. Meanwhile we are afraid some other foreign organizations may also close their facilities giving increasingly wrong signals about Bangladesh abroad.
British Council not only maintains high profile library it also conducts O Level, A level exams and ILTS, TOEFL and such other language tests. Many British and American universities and colleges depend on British Council for their overseas educational activities in Bangladesh. Closure of British Council will bring enormous loss to them.
There is no denying of the fact that Bangladesh is passing through a highly abnormal situation. So, we cannot avoid responsibility for the uncertainty we are facing now. Hence we should initiate collective effort to get rid of this nightmare. We should take into consideration the sensitivities that those bloody attacks and violences have impacted on foreigners’ mindset mainly on security issues. At least two international conferences were removed from Dhaka to other countries due to security concerns.
The government has to understand that by blaming others whether BNP and Jamaat will be of no help unless it can show competence to stop violence and assure the foreigners working here about their safety and security.
As it appears that the decision has come after two brutal attacks by militants in Dhaka and Sholakia in Kishoreganj district in recent past killing many people. Police killed nine suspected militants in the capital on early Tuesday. Earlier, UK government alerted its citizens in Bangladesh on July 7 following militant attack on a Café House asking them to remain alert and avoid visiting areas where foreign nationals are known to gather. So, the closure of British Council in Bangladesh has not come in surprise. We don’t know how long it will remain closed and when will get opened to serve clients’ requirements. Meanwhile we are afraid some other foreign organizations may also close their facilities giving increasingly wrong signals about Bangladesh abroad.
British Council not only maintains high profile library it also conducts O Level, A level exams and ILTS, TOEFL and such other language tests. Many British and American universities and colleges depend on British Council for their overseas educational activities in Bangladesh. Closure of British Council will bring enormous loss to them.
There is no denying of the fact that Bangladesh is passing through a highly abnormal situation. So, we cannot avoid responsibility for the uncertainty we are facing now. Hence we should initiate collective effort to get rid of this nightmare. We should take into consideration the sensitivities that those bloody attacks and violences have impacted on foreigners’ mindset mainly on security issues. At least two international conferences were removed from Dhaka to other countries due to security concerns.
The government has to understand that by blaming others whether BNP and Jamaat will be of no help unless it can show competence to stop violence and assure the foreigners working here about their safety and security.
