Japanese ambassador's comments unwarranted: State minister for foreign affairs

Japanese ambassador Ito Naoki's statement regarding the 11th national election is uncalled for, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam.

He further said an explanation will be sought from the Japanese ambassador in this regard.

The state minister told these to Independent Television in his office on Tuesday evening.

At an event titled 'Meet the Ambassador' in the capital on Monday, Japanese ambassador Ito Naoki said, “I heard Bangladesh police filled the ballot boxes the night before in the previous (National Parliament) election. There is no such precedent in any other country. I expect such incident will not repeat.”

Non-governmental research group Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) and German research institute Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Bangladesh (FES, Bangladesh) jointly organised the event.

Ito Naoki said this in response to a question about the 2018 election by the journalists present at the event.

Asked about such a remark by a foreign delegate like the Japanese ambassador Ito Naoki, the state minister for foreign affairs said that Bangladesh does not expect such a statement from the ambassador of a friendly country since the Japanese government has not made any such objection about the 11th parliamentary election in the past four years.

Questioning the professionalism of the organisers of such events with the ambassador of Japan, the state minister said, the purpose of such event will be investigated.

He announced dire action against violators of diplomatic etiquette. Besides, Shahriar Alam also commented that there is no need for the advice of foreign friends regarding the upcoming (12th) parliamentary elections.