Egypt won't support Pak interference in Bangladesh affairs

Egypt will not support any foreign intervention, including the one made by Pakistan, in Bangladesh's internal affairs, particularly in war criminals' trials, said Egyptian Ambassador in Dhaka Mahmoud Ezzat yesterday.

If Pakistan has "any ambition" to intervene, Egypt will obviously be the first country to say "no", Ambassador Ezzat, also the dean of diplomatic corps, said in response to a question at a tea party hosted for diplomatic correspondents at Egyptian embassy in the capital.

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the death sentence of war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami. Pakistan has been criticising the ongoing trials of war criminals and executions of war crimes convicts who collaborated with Pakistan during the Liberation War.

Being an independent country, Bangladesh has its own right to take its own decision and maintain independence, he added.

Responding to another question, the diplomat said Egypt will not send any troop or military equipment for the much-talked-about Saudi-led alliance that has been formed to fight against terrorism despite being its member. "We will just share our experiences," added Ezzat.

He, however, said Bangladesh has taken an "appropriate" step by taking part in the 34-country alliance. It is not an alliance against any country but it is against terrorism, he added.

On terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS), the Egyptian envoy said, "The IS is already busy with the Middle East. Why should they come here (Bangladesh)", adding that he does not believe that IS is responsible for killing two foreigners in Bangladesh.