US ambassador handed over protest note

The foreign ministry yesterday called US Ambassador Mary Ann Peters to its office, and handed over a note of protest for inclusion of Bangladesh in the terror-risk list.

Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan during an hour long one-to-one meeting with the US Envoy yesterday afternoon also conveyed the country's concern and wanted to know on what basis the US had included Bangladesh in the list.

He also handed over a copy of the letter he had written to his US counterpart Colin Powell Saturday to the US envoy. In the letter to US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Morshed Khan requested that Bangladeshis be excluded from the US special registration programme for vigilance against terrorism.

And also Khan proposed that a US congressional delegation visit Bangladesh and verify the ground reality.

Later talking to newsmen, Morshed Khan said he was awaiting reply to his letter from Colin Powell.

"This is not at all acceptable to us and it is also not clear on what basis the US put Bangladesh on the restrictive list, despite Bangladesh wholeheartedly supporting the global fight against terrorism," Morshed Khan told the US Envoy.

Describing Bangladesh as a peace-loving democratic country committed to the fight against terrorism, Morshed Khan said, "Dhaka is working closely in the international coalition against terrorism as we believe in peace. Our efforts to combat terrorism internationally are neither directed against anybody nor in favour of anyone," he said

He said there is no example of any Bangladeshi citizen having been involved in any act of terrorism across the world.

Morshed Khan said the government is assessing the situation and trying to know through its missions whether the Bangladeshis living in the USA are facing any odds after the US move.

If necessary, the FM will visit the United States to have an "on-the-spot understanding" of the problems that Bangladeshis might face after the restrictions are imposed, and provide legal protection to the affected citizens "at the instruction of the Prime Minister".

"I will not go to ask the US authorities to lift the restrictions, but I will go on a damage-control mission and to understand the situation over there," he told the newsmen.

Asked whether there is any possibility of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia talking with President Bush over telephone to resolve the issue, Morshed Khan neither confirmed nor rejected the idea. "We will have to go step by step," he said.

After the meeting, Mary Ann Peters told the awaiting reporters that it was simply a registration process for long-term security of the USA and it would not create any problem for Bangladeshis. "It is part of a system of tracking long term visitors to the USA."

Asked what are the criteria to include a nation in the list, Peters said, "There is a criteria, although vague, and it is very much limited to a few visitors."

"This (the stricter immigration rule for Bangladeshis) will not change the status of the Bangla-deshis studying in the US and they will not be kicked out," she said.

"This decision in no way is a reflection of any change in the US policy towards Bangladesh," the US ambassador said. "Many very close friends of the US are also in the list like Morocco."

"The image of Bangladesh as a staunch campaigner and part of the global fight against terrorism will not be undermined for this. And also the image of Bangladesh as a moderate democratic nation will not be hurt," she added.

"Our friendship is a deep rooted one and it will grow in the days ahead," Peters added.