Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has accused the government of distorting British prime minister David Cameron’s remark on the controversial January-5 parliament elections.
BNP also cautioned that such attitude might jeopardise the country’s ties with foreign countries and international agencies.
“Spreading lies about the statements of foreign friends and international bodies is devoid of diplomatic norms as it creates confusion. There’s a strong possibility that the country’s ties with foreign countries and international organisations can be hampered due the government’s such attitude,” said BNP vice chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury.
The BNP leader made the remark while addressing a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on Saturday.
The BNP leader said the government’s falsehood about the British PM’s remark has forced the Downing Street to issue a press statement on the meeting. “Issuing such a statement from the British PM’s Office on the meeting with a foreign country’s head of government is quite unusual.”
“The Bangladesh Foreign Minister has said David Cameron told Hasina that the election was over. It’s past. Now we look at the future. But the Downing Street spokesperson’s statement on the meeting proved that the government resorted to lies,” Mobin said.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday on PM’s UK visit, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said the British government wants to strengthen its relations with Bangladesh on all fronts to help Bangladesh take its development trajectory to a newer height.
“The election is over. It’s past. Now we look at the future. We want to work with your government and strengthen the ties,” he quoted British Prime Minister David Cameron as saying during his meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hours later, Downing Street spokesperson in a statement said David Cameron expressed UK’s disappointment over the January-5 election in Bangladesh and laid emphasis on an open society and political system in which democratic political participation and media freedoms are respected.
Shamsher Mobin alleged that the government is on a continuous attempt to deny the concern of the foreign countries about the January-5 elections and their disapproval to it by resorting to lies.
The BNP brought similar kind of allegation that the government had spread falsehood about President Abdul Hamid’s meeting with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon saying that the UN chief criticised BNP for boycotting the election and accepted the polls, rather, said Shamsher Mobin, the UN was also forced to issue a statement saying Ban Ki-moon during the meeting voiced his dissatisfaction over the January-5 election.
Source: Prothom Alo