Govt moves to stop foreigners' interference in internal affairs
The government has taken a move to update the outdated Foreigners Act to restrict undue interference by foreigners in internal affairs putting the government in an embarrassing position.
Foreign diplomats stationed in Bangladesh, who frequently make comments on domestic politics, will continue to remain out of the purview of the law, said the law adviser, AF Hassan Ariff, on Thursday.
The government, however, requested foreign diplomats to respect Bangladesh's sentiments of sovereignty as recent public remarks by some foreign diplomats had been perceived by a section of the media to be 'interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs.'
A foreign ministry spokesman said, 'The ministry is of the view that diplomatic norms and standards are well recognised internationally and feels that it is expected that these should be conformed to by all practitioners of the profession.'
The government move came on the heels of recent visits by a couple of foreigners, who made comments on the country's criminal justice system, especially on the trial of one of the two detained former prime ministers and human rights situation.
'The law of the land does not allow foreigners to make such comments,' Hassan told reporters at his weekly briefing Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, he raised the issue at a meeting of the council of advisers on law and order at the home ministry. The home adviser, MA Matin, presided over the meeting.
The meeting, also attended by the LGRD adviser, Anwarul Iqbal, the home secretary and senior officials of the law enforcement agencies, discussed the matter in details and endorsed that the Foreigners Act should be amended to stop such 'undue interference.'
The visit of two Canadians, Payam Akhavan and William Sloan, one of whom addressed a news briefing and the other tried to do so during their stay in Dhaka, featured in the meeting.
'Many foreigners make derogatory comments about our internal affairs which is embarrassing for the government,' a senior home ministry official told New Age after the meeting.
He said the act, formulated in 1946, was no more relevant in the present-day context and needed to be updated to stop foreigners from interfering into internal affairs.
Hassan Ariff said the home ministry had taken steps when they found foreigners coming to Bangladesh on tourist visas to be addressing news briefings.
'I cannot hold news briefings in other countries if I go there on a tourist visa,' he said, adding that no such news briefings are allowed under the law.
The government on February 17 stopped William Sloan from addressing a news briefing at the Sheraton Hotel. He came on a tourist visa, but later became an international lawyer for Hasina.
As for seeking gunmen by chief and other judicial magistrates, the meeting decided to consider the matter based on need assessment.
Hassan said nothing had happened at the moment for which they would be given gunmen. 'We will provide gunmen and security for the people who will need them.'
Reviewing law and order, the meeting concluded that the incidents of murder and extortion was on the rise and asked the police to effectively combat such crimes.
'The recent rise in the number of killing was discussed at the meeting,' said a home ministry official, who attended the meeting.
The meeting also decided to demolish the shanties set up again at the place of Sattola slum in Dhaka.
Foreign diplomats stationed in Bangladesh, who frequently make comments on domestic politics, will continue to remain out of the purview of the law, said the law adviser, AF Hassan Ariff, on Thursday.
The government, however, requested foreign diplomats to respect Bangladesh's sentiments of sovereignty as recent public remarks by some foreign diplomats had been perceived by a section of the media to be 'interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs.'
A foreign ministry spokesman said, 'The ministry is of the view that diplomatic norms and standards are well recognised internationally and feels that it is expected that these should be conformed to by all practitioners of the profession.'
The government move came on the heels of recent visits by a couple of foreigners, who made comments on the country's criminal justice system, especially on the trial of one of the two detained former prime ministers and human rights situation.
'The law of the land does not allow foreigners to make such comments,' Hassan told reporters at his weekly briefing Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, he raised the issue at a meeting of the council of advisers on law and order at the home ministry. The home adviser, MA Matin, presided over the meeting.
The meeting, also attended by the LGRD adviser, Anwarul Iqbal, the home secretary and senior officials of the law enforcement agencies, discussed the matter in details and endorsed that the Foreigners Act should be amended to stop such 'undue interference.'
The visit of two Canadians, Payam Akhavan and William Sloan, one of whom addressed a news briefing and the other tried to do so during their stay in Dhaka, featured in the meeting.
'Many foreigners make derogatory comments about our internal affairs which is embarrassing for the government,' a senior home ministry official told New Age after the meeting.
He said the act, formulated in 1946, was no more relevant in the present-day context and needed to be updated to stop foreigners from interfering into internal affairs.
Hassan Ariff said the home ministry had taken steps when they found foreigners coming to Bangladesh on tourist visas to be addressing news briefings.
'I cannot hold news briefings in other countries if I go there on a tourist visa,' he said, adding that no such news briefings are allowed under the law.
The government on February 17 stopped William Sloan from addressing a news briefing at the Sheraton Hotel. He came on a tourist visa, but later became an international lawyer for Hasina.
As for seeking gunmen by chief and other judicial magistrates, the meeting decided to consider the matter based on need assessment.
Hassan said nothing had happened at the moment for which they would be given gunmen. 'We will provide gunmen and security for the people who will need them.'
Reviewing law and order, the meeting concluded that the incidents of murder and extortion was on the rise and asked the police to effectively combat such crimes.
'The recent rise in the number of killing was discussed at the meeting,' said a home ministry official, who attended the meeting.
The meeting also decided to demolish the shanties set up again at the place of Sattola slum in Dhaka.
Diplomats urged to respect Bangladesh's sovereignty
The government on Thursday requested foreign diplomats to respect Bangladesh's sentiments and sovereignty after recent public remarks of some foreign diplomats have been perceived
in a section of the media as 'interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs'.
Although the government did not cite any specific instances, the reaction came in the wake of US charge d'affaires Geeta Pasi's series of meetings with political parties' leaders and her comments to the media which smacked of interference and were manipulative in nature.
In recent weeks, Washington has once again become active in the country's politics as Pasi held meetings with top leaders of the Awami League, Jatiya Party and the pro-government faction of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
During the meeting Pasi expressed the US's views that dialogues between the political parties and the government were important to establish an atmosphere conducive to holding the general elections.
When he was asked to comment on the matter on Thursday, foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said, 'Bangladesh believes in friendship with all countries, but friendship and interference are two different things.' 'The Bangladeshi people are in charge of shaping their own destiny,' he added.
Iftekhar, however, averred that when the government requested the diplomats to respect the country's sovereignty, it was not responding to any particular case.
Earlier in the day, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that of late there has been a renewed tendency in some foreign
diplomats to make remarks in public that a section of the media has perceived to be interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs.
The government said that Bangladeshis welcome and cherish the existing friendly bilateral relationships with many of the countries that these diplomats represent.
'However Bangladeshis, who have struggled hard for their independence, seek to guard their feeling of sovereignty with zeal and pride,' the spokesman added.
'The diplomatic agents concerned are urged to take note of this fact, and act in consonance with these sentiments,' added the spokesman.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is of the view that diplomatic norms and standards are well recognised internationally and feels that it is expected that these should be conformed to by all envoys and diplomats.
in a section of the media as 'interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs'.
Although the government did not cite any specific instances, the reaction came in the wake of US charge d'affaires Geeta Pasi's series of meetings with political parties' leaders and her comments to the media which smacked of interference and were manipulative in nature.
In recent weeks, Washington has once again become active in the country's politics as Pasi held meetings with top leaders of the Awami League, Jatiya Party and the pro-government faction of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
During the meeting Pasi expressed the US's views that dialogues between the political parties and the government were important to establish an atmosphere conducive to holding the general elections.
When he was asked to comment on the matter on Thursday, foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said, 'Bangladesh believes in friendship with all countries, but friendship and interference are two different things.' 'The Bangladeshi people are in charge of shaping their own destiny,' he added.
Iftekhar, however, averred that when the government requested the diplomats to respect the country's sovereignty, it was not responding to any particular case.
Earlier in the day, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that of late there has been a renewed tendency in some foreign
diplomats to make remarks in public that a section of the media has perceived to be interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs.
The government said that Bangladeshis welcome and cherish the existing friendly bilateral relationships with many of the countries that these diplomats represent.
'However Bangladeshis, who have struggled hard for their independence, seek to guard their feeling of sovereignty with zeal and pride,' the spokesman added.
'The diplomatic agents concerned are urged to take note of this fact, and act in consonance with these sentiments,' added the spokesman.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is of the view that diplomatic norms and standards are well recognised internationally and feels that it is expected that these should be conformed to by all envoys and diplomats.
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