Geeta Pasi rebuts claims of interference
US Charge d'Affaires Geeta Pasi yesterday refuted claims of interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs, while Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury reiterated that the government's recent caution against foreign interference is not directed at anyone in particular.
“Let me tell you frankly that I haven't started a political dialogue; that's up to the government to do,” said Pasi when asked to explain a string of recent meetings she held with political parties.
She was speaking to reporters after attending a seminar in the city.
Meanwhile Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Chowdhury denied that the government's word of caution was directed at any particular envoy.
“These urgings are not directed towards anyone in particular, but include all in general. We sincerely hope there will be no need to repeat this in future,” Iftekhar told The Daily Star, when asked to name if any particular country had violated 'diplomatic norms' recently.
“To the best of my knowledge, we haven't had a bomb go off in the last 14 months. We did not have a shot fired in anger by the state in over one year,” he said, adding that Bangladesh is one of the most stable countries in the region at present.
He said Bangladeshis are intellectually capable of resolving their own problems.
“There is a new tiger being born in Asia, and that is a Royal Bengal Tiger,” the foreign affairs adviser said.
The government has reacted strongly to a string of recent reports about and comments made by foreign governments and envoys.
Last week, the government said the US State Department's human rights report on Bangladesh 'lacked balance'.
Earlier this month, Food Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali reacted sharply to comments made by Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty.
Shawkat alleged Chakravarty's comment had gone 'out of diplomatic norms,' and wrote a letter to the foreign ministry, urging steps regarding the comments made by the Indian envoy.
Chakravarty had said that the Bangladesh government is responsible for the delay in importing rice from India.
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