PM’s criticism won’t affect US-Bangladesh ties: foreign ministry

The foreign ministry today said criticism of the US by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy will not impact the bilateral relations between the two countries.

"I don't think so ... because we held a very good meeting and discussed all issues that were in the agenda," said Seheli Sabrin, the ministry spokesperson at the weekly media briefing today in response to a question from a journalist.

She was referring to the bilateral meeting between Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Tuesday.

On April 10, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told parliament that the United States can overthrow government in any country and here it wants to install a government that will be anything but democratic in nature.

The premier said the US frequently lectures on democracy and some people, including the opposition party, cheer and dance to that.

She also said the US has been sheltering Bangabandhu's convicted killer Rashed Chowdhury, ignoring repeated requests from Bangladesh for his deportation.

"I have appealed to all the presidents [of the US]. Legally, we've made efforts. We've tried through diplomacy. I have appealed to them, 'You cannot grant asylum to this convicted murderer. You cannot give shelter to the killer of children, killer of women, killer of a president and killer of minister... Send him back.' But they are not returning him…"

Earlier on April 8, Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy criticised the expulsion of two African-American lawmakers of Tennessee, sparing another one, over their gun control protests, questioning the fairness of democracy in the United States.