Momen advises journalists on what questions to be asked to US envoy

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen
File photo

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen has advised newspersons to ask the US ambassador in Dhaka about the internal affairs including extra judicial killings, not about Bangladesh.

The minister made this suggestion in a statement sent to the media on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier on Tuesday, US ambassador to Dhaka Peter Haas spoke about the various issues of Bangladesh including national election, freedom of press and human rights during the Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) Talk at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

Abdul Momen said, “Please, you (newsmen) ask the US envoy why they cannot stop such extra judicial killings at their own country? Secondly, about 100,000 US citizens go missing every year. Even children are deprived of reuniting with their Hispanic parents. Ask the USA about their problems, not about Bangladesh.”

“It is not the responsibility of the USA to rule our country and its development. If the USA wants freedom of press, why have they censored broadcasting Russian television channel RT? If they want accountability, why are the US security forces or police not punished or held accountable for killing more than 1,000 citizens, mostly Black and Hispanic, every year?”

To the newsmen, foreign minister Abdul Momen wrote, “Why do you (journalists) not inquire Peter Haas that if their electoral process is fair why don't young Americans believe in their election system and why is there a low turnout among young Americans? Why is there a 25 per cent of voter turnout in each election? Is it a participatory electoral process?”