BNP ‘recruits’ firms to lobby Trump administration: Politico

BNP has reportedly hired firms to lobby the Trump administration on its behalf ahead of the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, reports UNB quoting a US-based magazine the Politico.

Abdul Sattar of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has hired Blue Star Strategies and Rasky Partners to lobby the Trump administration, it said.

“Blue Star Strategies will engage in message development and narrative and outreach to elected and appointed US executive branch officials and US Congress,” Politico, a US media house, reported quoting a justice department disclosure.

It will outreach international financial, health, labour, human rights, women's empowerment and election monitoring organisations, public policy institutions in the US, former US officials and ambassadors, the private sector and diaspora community, the politico added.

The contract with Blue Star is worth US$20,000 a month in August and $35,000 a month for the rest of the year. Rasky Partners is working as a subcontractor to Blue Star and it will get US$10,000 a month in August and $15,000 a month for the rest of the year.

Contacted, BNP spokesman and party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said he is not aware of it. “I think it's rubbish news. I dont have any idea about it.'

A ruling party leader, however, said BNP is doing it instead of going to people's doors in the country. I thought from previous failed attempts, they'll refrain from doing such things but unfortunately they are not taking lessons from their own mistakes, said the leader seeking anonymity.