12 denied visa

The Italian embassy in Dhaka has denied visas to a nine-member media team and three businessmen, all scheduled to fly with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Milan today.

The PM is due to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit on October 16-17.

For the four-day trip, 125 persons, including diplomatic and official passport holders and 74 businessmen, were selected as Hasina's entourage.

All but the 12 have been granted visas.

The Italian embassy refused to accept visa applications of the media persons -- four of whom are attached to the PMO -- as they failed to submit applications within 10 working days before departure, diplomatic sources say. 

PM and Awami League President Hasina's Information Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and four other leading journalists were also in the media team.

The nine went to the embassy to submit their applications on October 8. They should have done it by October 2, the sources added. 

It could not be known why the three businessmen were denied visas.

This is quite unusual, said an influential PMO staff. The media team failed to get visas due to negligence of a high official of the PM's press wing, he alleged.

The prime minister is leaving at 10:00am today to attend the 10th ASEM summit in Milan at the invitation of European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

The PMO officials said the Italian embassy was not at fault.

Getting the prime minister's approval for the media team was delayed as she was not given the list on time. A junior press wing official, who was in the team, placed the list to the PM on October 3 and she instantly approved it, they added.

According to sources, the foreign ministry officials concerned tried their best but the Italian embassy stuck to rules.

But Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque, responding to a question at a press briefing on the PM's trip, said usually those who do not get visas communicate with the ministry. “We don't have any such information.”

According to the PMO sources, the Italian embassy refused to accept visa applications of Boishakhi TV Chief Editor and CEO Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, daily Sangbad Editor Altamash Kabir and Managing Editor Kashem Humayun and senior journalist Abu Hasan Shahriar.

Four other journalists attached to the PM's press wing include a correspondent and a photographer of BSS news agency and two journalists of UNB and bdnews24.com.

Names of the three businessmen could not be known.

The 51-member ASEM is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation bringing together the 27 EU members, two other European countries, and the EU with 20 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.

India is being represented by State Minister for External Affairs VK Singh.

Asked why Hasina is attending the summit when majority of the member states are being represented by ministers or state ministers, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said some 20 heads of state/government are participating in the summit.

“It is not possible for all to go all the time,” he said at the foreign ministry press conference yesterday.

The foreign minister also said participation in the 10th summit will help Bangladesh appear as a responsible country at the global stage.

Hasina will deliver her speech tomorrow at the plenary session of the summit highlighting Bangladesh's position on climate change, MDG, post-2015 development strategy, disaster-risk reduction and Asia-Europe communication.

The PM on Friday will take part at a discussion with top leaders on various issues, including fight against terrorism, security challenges and issues of cooperation between Asia and the Europe.

“Europe is the largest development partner of Bangladesh and the biggest export market for Bangladesh. Through ASEM, Asian countries can together uphold their attitudes towards the European countries,” the foreign minister said.

Responding to a question, the foreign minister said the PM will hold a series of meetings with a number of head of governments. “She'll hold talks with the prime ministers of Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Sweden apart from holding a meeting with the European Council president.”

The theme of the 10th ASEM summit is “Responsible Partnership for Growth and Security” that reflects the enlarging scope of the EU-Asia relationship.