Every step taken to ensure security of foreigners in Bangladesh

The government yesterday assured foreign diplomats that it has taken every possible step to ensure full safety for all foreigners in Bangladesh.

The assurance came amid strong demand by the diplomats for additional security to them and their fellow citizens in the wake of the murder of an Italian and a Japanese man.

Adequate security measures have been put in place not only for the foreigners in Dhaka's diplomatic zone but also for those working in remote areas for socio-economic development of the country, the government announced.

“We conveyed to our foreign friends that they [diplomats] shouldn't have any suspicion and confusion about the safety and security steps taken by the government,” said Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali. 

“They are satisfied with the initiatives taken so far,” he told reporters after a briefing for diplomats on the measures taken in the aftermath of the killings of Italian national Cesare Tavella and Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi.

Apart from raising the security concerns, highly placed sources said, the heads of diplomatic missions at the briefing pressed for a fair probe into the murders of Italian national Cesare Tavella and Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi.

They also called upon the government to arrest the perpetrators, hold a speedy trial and verify the reported claim of Islamic State (IS) that it was behind the murders.

“We asked for the open-minded approach regarding the possible IS involvement in the two recent tragedies,” a diplomatic mission chief told The Daily Star. “As you understand, your government said that there is as of now no evidence to support the IS element in these cases.”

Asked whether the diplomatic missions created any sort of pressure during their deliberations, he said, “Not really but diplomatically.”

Another mission chief told this correspondent that there was no comment from the Italian side, but Japanese Ambassador Masato Watanabe asked the government “to clear clouds of doubt over the murders of the two foreign nationals.”

The Japanese envoy suggested that there should be collaboration with the international community in this regard.

Several other diplomats, including US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat, UK High Commissioner Robert Gibson and EU Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon, also spoke on the occasion.

“We talked about additional and tightening of security measures everywhere and thanked Bangladesh government for the measures already in place,” British High Commissioner Robert Gibson, who is also the dean of Diplomatic Corps in Bangladesh, told reporters after the hour-long briefing, held at the state guesthouse Padma.

Attended by some 45 ambassadors, high commissioners and charge d'affaires from different missions, the briefing was jointly organised by the ministries of foreign and home. 

Talking to reporters, Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali said the government is confident that the perpetrators will be brought to book and “best efforts are in place”. And it is doing everything to make sure that foreign nationals feel safe and secure in Bangladesh.

Asked if the US shared information beforehand about attacks, the minister said, “Yes, it was there but it didn't happen as per the information. Those who commit such crimes say one thing but do something else. This is how they operate.”

Responding to another query, he said they do not yet have any credible information about any IS link. “We don't have any proof. We don't have any credible information,” he said.

“The US is also working to verify the claim,” the minister added, referring to US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat's statement that they are in the process of knowing whether those claims were accurate. 

According to a foreign ministry press release, Mahmood Ali at the briefing said it was regrettable that when Bangladesh was being globally lauded for its impressive socio-economic development, as seen in the United Nations last week, certain quarters were once again out to destabilise the situation to discredit the country, the government and the people. 

Talking to reporters, British High Commissioner Robert Gibson said the government gave them a “full picture” of what the government is doing after the two incidents. He also said that as the dean of Diplomatic Corps, he requested the government for the updates.

He said they have been assured by the government of a fair and professional investigation into the matters.

Responding to a question, the diplomat also said the government assured them of bringing the killers to justice after a fair probe. “We're assured by the government that no stone will be left unturned.”

The diplomats at the briefing expressed gratitude for the additional security measures taken in the diplomatic zone, he said, adding they all look forward to working closely with each other to address the risks here in Bangladesh and across the globe.

Speaking at the briefing, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan shared the status of investigations into the two murder cases and reaffirmed the government's resolve to find out the real motives and capture the assailants.

“The government is giving the highest priority to the arrest of the killers of Cesare Tavella and Kunio Hoshi,” he said.

Right at this moment, nearly 2,24,000 foreign nationals are living in different cities, towns, villages and even remotest places of the country, and “we have collected information about them, they are all in safe and sound state,” the home minister added.

He informed the diplomats that the government took note of the reported claims of responsibility by a certain international terrorist organisation for these murders, and that the intelligence and law enforcement authorities were looking into such reported claims.

The minister said the government strongly believes that Bangladesh will not be the hub of terrorist groups in any way. The people of Bangladesh are not fanatic in nature but they are very much pious, he said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, senior home secretary, foreign secretary, inspector general of police, director general of Rab and DMP commissioner, were also present at the briefing and interacted with the envoys.