Nafis refuses to meet BD officials
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, who had been detained in New York over an alleged bomb plot, had refused to meet Bangladesh embassy officials, reported BBC Bangla Service last night.
The embassy authorities had requested to meet Nafis after confirming his Bangladeshi nationality.
Two officials of Bangladesh embassy were supposed to meet him on Monday (New York Time).
But the US authorities informed the Bangladesh embassy in Washington that Nafis had refused to meet them, BBC quoted Swapan Saha, minister (press), Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, as saying on Sunday evening (NY Time).
The request for consular access to Nafis was made to the US government during a meeting between the officials of Bangladesh embassy and the US State Department on October 19.
The embassy officials, however, did not state the reasons behind Nafis' refusal. Under the US law, the consular access is granted on the consent of the arrestee.
Meanwhile, Congressman Joseph Crowley said the relation between Bangladesh and the US would not be affected by Nafis' arrest.
"I don't believe that this is part of a larger Bangladeshi sentiment. This is isolated in my sense. I think most Muslims and the people from Bangladesh are hard working and good people," Crowley, the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Bangladesh, said Sunday evening (NY Time).
He added, "…And here I said before, this is a bad apple. We have to find out more than that and to work on that.”
The US congressman made the comments to journalists after exchanging greetings with the representatives of Bangalee Hindu community on the occasion of Sharodiya Durga Utsab at Weyside in New York, reports private channel ekattor.tv on Monday.
Nafis was arrested on October 17 in an FBI sting operation. He had allegedly attempted to blow up the Federal Reserve Bank in New York.
On October 19, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said, “Dhaka is in touch with Washington… the Bangladesh government is fully engaged in the issue and we will do everything immediately after receiving information from the US government.”
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