Refrain from such undiplomatic behaviour: Foreign ministry tells 13 mission chiefs

The government thinks the statement issued by 13 foreign missions – 11 countries including the US and the European Union - in Dhaka over the attack on Ashraful Hossen aka Hero Alom who was an MP candidate in the by-polls of Dhaka-17 constituency, violated diplomatic norms.

The government’s stance was highlighted at the state guesthouse Padma in Dhaka on Wednesday after summoning the chiefs of these 13 foreign missions.

State minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam briefed the media at the Foreign Service Academy later.

The foreign ministry said such behaviour without objectivity, impartiality and bias-less and bypassing the government will create a crisis of mutual trust and foreign diplomats were requested to refrain from such undiplomatic behaviour in future.

The by-election to the Dhaka-17 constituency was held on 17 July. A group of people wearing 'Boat' badge beat independent candidate Hero Alom outside a polling station in Banani minutes before the voting ended.

Saying that 13 foreign missions issued a joint statement violating ‘diplomatic norms’ following that unwanted incident, state minister Shahriar Alam added, “We called their diplomats and informed them about our discontent over their behaviours violating diplomatic norms.”

Shahriar Alam said, “We have told them that this was a separate incident and it would not be right to evaluate the free fair and peaceful voting of the entire day.”

The state minister argued that Hero Alom observed the election visiting various centre freely with journalists on the day of the election. Hero Alom didn’t face any untoward incident or raise any complaint either till the voting ends. No other candidates also raise any allegation on any kind of violence or irregularities, he added.

Shahriar Alam said, “So, how several diplomats highlighted a single incident that took place at the last moment of the voting cannot reflect the peaceful election of entire day and the diplomats did not give importance on the objectivity of their evaluation properly in order to issue a reaction hastily.”