Bitterness with Pakistan grows

Over the past week Bangladesh’s diplomats and officials in Islamabad and Karachi have been harassed by intelligence agencies. Pakistan’s high commissioner in Dhaka was summoned and an official protest was lodged, after which the monitoring by the Pakistan intelligence has abated somewhat.
When Bangladesh’s high commissioner to Islamabad Sohrab Hossain was asked yesterday if the Pakistan intelligence had stepped up its watch, he refrained from comment. He said that the foreign ministry in Dhaka could be asked about the matter.
However, Bangladesh deputy high commissioner in Karachi Nur-e Helal Saifur Rahman spoke to Prothom Alo over cell phone yesterday and said, for the past week the diplomats and officials of the deputy high commission in Karachi were being followed wherever they went. They were shadowed throughout most of the day. However, from Tuesday the situation improved and the intelligence movements lessened significantly.
Officials of the foreign ministry said, the Pakistan high commissioner Suja Alam was summoned to the state guest house Padma on Monday and a protest was issued against the intelligence watch on Bangladesh’s diplomats in Pakistan. The foreign ministry’s secretary (bilateral) Mizanur Rahman told Pakistan’s high commissioner that the behavior of Pakistan towards Bangladesh’s diplomats was a clear violation of the Vienna convention. These activities must be stopped at once. Suja Alam was asked to inform Islamabad of the stand.
The monitoring of Bangladesh’s diplomats and officials has added a new dimension to the already bitter relations with Pakistan. Tensions grew between the two countries over the trial for crimes committed against humanity. In retaliation to the recalling of a Pakistani diplomat and an officer from Bangladesh, Bangladesh was asked to recall a diplomat from Islamabad. This further soured relations. As part of this bitterness, no minister from Pakistan came to attend a minister-level regional conference which recently concluded in Dhaka.R
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