US raises concern after envoy heckled in Dhaka

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, January 4

The US has called on the Sheikh Hasina government to respect and protect the fundamental freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly for the people of Bangladesh after a spat involving the US ambassador to Dhaka, who had visited the home of an opposition activist reportedly missing.

The controversy broke out on December 14 when US Ambassador Peter Haas had to cut short a visit to the house of a missing leader, Sajedul Islam Sumon, belonging to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, after activists of the ruling Awami League heckled him. There were allegations that the personal staff of a minister orchestrated the demonstration against Haas.

Following a sharp statement from the US Embassy in Dhaka, Russia also weighed in by pointing out that Moscow never interferes in the domestic affairs of other countries. “States like Bangladesh, which shape their foreign and internal policy to serve their own national interests instead of following the lead of external powers, take the similar approach,” the Russian Embassy said. Russia also alleged that the British and German diplomatic missions had allowed “themselves to openly give recommendations to the local authorities regarding transparency and inclusiveness” ahead of the General Election scheduled early next year.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “We often don’t weigh in on propaganda. We routinely meet with a variety of stakeholders across the political spectrum in every country in which the US has a diplomatic presence.”