Myanmar nationals protest against Aung's Dhaka visit

Myanmar nationals in Dhaka demonstrate at Muktangan yesterday demanding release of Aung San Suu Kyi ahead of their Foreign Minister U Win Aung's visit. Photo: STAR

The protesters, under the banner of 'Arakan League for Democracy', called upon the government to cut normal relations with Myanmar until democracy was restored there.

Aung was scheduled to arrive in Dhaka last night.

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The agitators said they fled their homeland in the face of political persecution and took refuge in Bangladesh.

They demanded release of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and chanted slogans against the military junta.

One of the organisers of the demonstration said: "A democratic government in Bangladesh should not maintain any relation with such a brutal and dictatorial regime."

He said the objective of the foreign minister's visit was to hide human rights violations in Myanmar.

As part its 'look east diplomacy', Bangladesh recently stepped up efforts to add a zest to its ties with Myanmar.

Terming the demonstration Myanmar's internal affair, Foreign Secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury declined to comment.