Foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka keep on expressing their concern about the safety and security of their missions and staff both formally and informally that prompted the government to beef up security in the diplomatic enclave here and other cities.
Each and every foreign diplomat here is concerned about their security due to the increasing political programmes surrounding the city’s diplomatic zone, especially the recent demonstration by Ganajagaran Mancha near the Pakistan High Commission, diplomatic sources said.
The diplomats in the last three separate briefings, arranged by the Foreign Ministry, conveyed their concern to Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, and sought government steps to tighten the security in the diplomatic enclave.
The residences of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad are also close to some diplomatic missions which also came up for discussions during the recent meetings between the diplomats and the government.
The Home Ministry has already directed intelligence agencies to keep eye on Pakistani diplomats during their movements so that no troublemaker can cause any harm to them, said an official.
Amid the diplomats’ growing concern over safety and security, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Tuesday assured the diplomats of providing ‘full safety and security’ for their missions, residences, schools and cultural centres before and after the 10th national election billed for January 5.
“The all-party polls-time government remains uncompromising and pledge-bound as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 to ensure full safety and security of the Diplomatic Missions in Bangladesh as well as their residences, schools and cultural centres during the critical period preceding the elections,” he said.
The Foreign Minister’s assurance came during two separate briefings for the diplomats held at state guesthouse Padma. The Foreign Minister is likely to brief diplomats of the European Union (EU) on December 30.
The first group in the morning comprised Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the USA, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Russia, Norway and the UN Resident Coordinator, while the second group comprised Ambassadors and Heads of Mission from the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) member states.
PM’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and Secretary (Bilateral) at the Foreign Ministry Mustafa Kamal were present during the briefings.
In the briefings, Mahmood Ali informed the diplomats of the preparations for the upcoming general election as well as the efforts and measures taken by the government to protect the lives of the common people from the sustained terrorist and arson activities of the Jamaat-Shibir armed cadres.
He reiterated that the polls-time government is determined to thwart any threat to the security and stability of the State and the people of Bangladesh, and attempts to deprive the electorate of exercising their democratic right to vote during the forthcoming 10th parliamentary elections.
The Foreign Minister also apprised the Heads of Missions of the enhanced security measures *recently taken in the designated diplomatic areas of Gulshan and Baridhara.
The Heads of Missions expressed satisfaction at the additional security measures already provided by the government to the diplomatic areas in Gulshan and Baridhara areas in the face of continued blockades, hartals and agitations by the opposition BNP-Jamaat alliance.
The OIC Ambassadors assured the Foreign Minister that the Muslim Ummah is with Bangladesh and its people at this critical time leading to the elections and expressed solidarity with all efforts of the government to maintain security and stability of the country including that of the diplomatic and expatriate community.
On Monday, the Foreign Minister briefed the diplomats from South and South East Asian countries, and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to ‘thwart any terror attempts’ against ‘peaceful conduct’ of the forthcoming general election.
The briefing for the diplomats came at a time when the United States, the European Union (EU) and the Commonwealth have announced not to send observers for the national election in Bangladesh questioning its credibility.
Source: UNBConnect
