Doubts in Dhaka
Dhaka has expressed its surprise over a news item published on the website of the official news agency of Islamic Republic of Iran that reads Bangladesh is proud of Iran's nuclear achievements.
The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) creed a news item from Liberville in Gabon on April 20 quoting Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad that “Bangladesh is proud of IR Iran's nuclear achievements and capabilities.”
Azad reportedly made the comment in a meeting with Iran's Culture Minister Syed Mohammad Hosseini on the sideline of OIC-sponsored conference, underway in Liberville, of information ministers from the Islamic world.
IRNA also quoted Azad as saying: “The official called for the use of Islamic Republic of Iran's experiences in all fields including the fields of education, research and cultural affairs.”
Iran's culture minister for his part asked for the Muslim countries' united action against the ongoing Islamophobia which aims to show a bad face of Islam, the IRNA reports.
Contacted, high officials at the ministries of information and foreign affairs expressed their strong doubt over the statement and said the IRNA must have misquoted the Bangladesh information minister.
They said Bangladesh strongly follows the United Nations rules and only supports peaceful usages of nuclear energy. So the question of supporting Iran's “controversial” nuclear achievements and capabilities does not arise at all.
The officials said they are trying to establish contact with Azad to know what actually he said and would come up with an official statement soon.
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