The PMO on Sunday instructed the foreign and home ministries to discourage foreign emissaries and representatives of international organisations from venturing out of Dhaka without police protection, fearing attacks by vested quarters. The PMO’s letter to the respective secretaries came in the backdrop of the political impasse in the country, sources said. “If diplomats and representatives of multinational organisations visit different parts of the country on emergency purposes, they should be given police protection during their travels,” a sources said, quoting the PMO’s letter.
The letter added: “About 50 diplomats and representatives of international organisations had visited different districts such as Gazipur, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Chittagong, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Bandarbans, Cox’s Bazar, Jessore, Khulna, Bagerhat, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Lalmonirhat between March and April. Some of them were not interested in taking police protection during their tours outside Dhaka.”
“An unstable situation is prevailing in the country following different political movements, such as hartals, long march and blockades, by parties like BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam. During their political programmes, Jamaat-Shibir men had committed sabotage and crimes, such as attacks on the members of the law enforcement agencies. They had also indulged in arson and vandalised vehicles and public properties. In this context, it is apprehended that vested quarters are likely to commit untoward acts against foreigners. This would likely strain bilateral relations with the countries concerned and increase international pressure,” the letter added.
It also said that vested quarters had hurled crude bombs on the car of Indian high commissioner Pankaj Saran in Khulna on April 12. It was assumed that the attack on Indian diplomat’s car was meant to trigger panic among people during a hartal called by the local Jamaat-Shibir unit.
State minister for home affairs, Shamsul Haque Tuku, told The Independent: “We shall not discourage diplomats and representatives of international organisations from going outside Dhaka on emergency business. But, they must follow diplomatic norm and seek police protection during their travels outside the capital. It’s advisable that they do so.”
Jamaat-Shibir has started a movement for stopping the trial of war criminals. The opposition BNP has also launched a movement for restoration of a caretaker government to hold a free, fair and credible election. At the same time, Hefazat-e-Islam started a programme to demand punishment for bloggers, who had allegedly committed blasphemy.
-With The Independent input
