Staff Reporter :
A legal notice has been served on Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen to step down within 48-hour for his recent awkward speech seeking Indian assistance to keep the incumbent government in power.
After such a statement, the entire political landscape has become tumultuous with deluge of criticisms and demanded of his resignation, as most of the elites and political circles think such comment is tantamount to ‘sedition’.
On the contrary, the ruling Awami League (AL) has taken an about-turn position pertaining to Momen’s statement for his poor position in the party.
Ruling party has disowned his speech because he is not the party spokesperson saying that he is ‘nobody’ in the party to talk about party affairs to anybody.
Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said, “He (Foreign Minister) is nobody in the party’s Central Committee. So, he is not the responsible person to advocate on behalf of Awami League while going abroad.”
But sources said that Foreign Minister was invited to India as the head of the Foreign Ministry, not as the party leader. Even he was invited to the Hindu religious event in Chattogram as the Foreign Minister, not as party man.
When a Foreign Minister delivers such statement ‘urging India to do whatever is necessary to keep Awami League’ in power, he cannot avoid the responsibility.
The experts said when such speech comes from a responsible quarters, it is also similar to denying the democratic process of transferring power peacefully through elections where only people have the mandate to choose the government.
Hasan Mahmud said, “Awami League believes in the power of people. We think no government can survive without the support of the people.”
Meanwhile, the diplomatic sources said that the diplomatic landscape was also embarrassed for Momen’s statement because they said that the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Minister have the responsibility to uphold the image of the country in the whole world.
But his remarks have diplomatically embarrassed them as they said that such statement clearly shows the week diplomacy of the government, they said.
Against this backdrop, Awami League is trying to bury the issue for party’s damage reparation through the process of denial.
Information Minister said, Awami League will not acknowledge any other speeches delivered outside the central committee members as they are not given the responsibility and they will consider such persons as nobody to talk about party decision.
“If anybody is engaged in personal talks with others, it is not our responsibility. He has not been entrusted with the responsibility on behalf of the party,” Information Minister told the journalists in the Secretariat on Sunday.
“The Foreign Minister has not been entrusted with any duty for discussion about party issues,” he added.
The minister also urged all to remain cautious who are holding responsible posts.
“I think it is necessary to talk with responsibility while holding important posts. Even I myself is careful whiling talking,” Hasan Mahmud said.
The Information Minister rather criticised Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) saying that BNP always runs to European Union, the USA, China and even Bhutan because this party does not believe in the people’s power.
On the other hand, different political parties and BNP came down heavily on the statement of the Foreign Minister and said that Awami League never believes in democracy and elections rather they think that India will put them in power as their power lives in Delhi.
