On October 28, Peter Haas, the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, asked whether the government would close all roads leading to Dhaka to surround the capital during the BNP’s grand assembly. Yesterday, on Sunday, in a courtesy call at the Foreign Ministry, he asked Foreign Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal what role the government will play on the day of the BNP assembly. After the meeting, the Foreign Minister informed journalists.
The Foreign Minister stated that he wanted to know the details of the extensive program that the BNP has planned, where many people will be brought in, whether you will close the roads or do something else. He said, “We have stated that we do not have any such program. We believe that if they conduct the program peacefully as they have outlined, we have nothing to say.”
He further mentioned that Dhaka is a densely populated city with over 10 million people, and any mishandling can lead to a major issue. To avoid that, it has been requested from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to maintain peace so that political parties that do not close roads can provide people with the opportunity to move.
The Foreign Minister said that law enforcement agencies will be on high alert to ensure the city remains accessible, without any form of violence.
The American Ambassador also talked about the Rohingya issue. The United States wants to clear the SB clearance for foreigners who want to take Rohingya to different countries. He has been informed to give this clearance quickly. He also wanted to know about the security arrangements for the upcoming Puja celebrations.
On October 18, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Secretary-General of the BNP, announced a program for a grand assembly in Dhaka on October 28. At that time, he said that the grand journey of their movement would begin with the grand assembly. On the same day, the Awami League-led alliance also has its program. Obaidul Quader mentioned that on October 28, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the first submerged road in Karnaphuli River in Chattogram. The people’s oath from Baytul Mukarram to Dhaka will also take place. Before that, on Sunday, at 2:40 PM, Foreign Minister Asaduzzaman Khan met with the American Ambassador to discuss pre-scheduled discussions.
