We appointed PR firm, not lobbyists

Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:00 AM Last update on: Wed Jan 26, 2022 01:51 AM
Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. File photo: Mark Schiefelbein/ Pool via Reuters

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday said the Awami League government had appointed a PR (public relations) firm, not lobbyist, to promote good governance and a positive image of Bangladesh.

He said when they [BNP-Jamaat] appointed lobbyists to halt the trials of war criminals, the government appointed the PR firm to change the wrong perception.

“We call it a PR firm, not a lobbyist,” said the Foreign Minister after attending a function in the city while responding to questions from reporters.

He said there was nothing wrong in engaging lobbyists but the objectives of engaging them matter when its aim is to harm the country and its interests.

Referring to appointment of lobbyists by BNP, the foreign minister said the key objective of that was to harm the country and its interests.

“There might be a quarrel between you and me. But it’s very unfortunate if the country’s interests are sacrificed for that,” he added.

Earlier, Momen inaugurated a month-long exhibition at the Liberation War Museum as the chief guest while State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman, MP, attended it as a special guest.

The Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Liberation War Museum of Bangladesh have jointly brought this exhibition to Dhaka, in collaboration with the Photo Elysée Museum of Lausanne, Switzerland.