In worsening row, Bangladesh lodges protest with Pakistani diplomat

[Devil Soul]

In worsening row, Bangladesh lodges protest with Pakistani diplomat
AGENCIES — UPDATED ABOUT AN HOUR AGO

DHAKA: Bangladesh summoned on Tuesday Pakistan’s high commissioner to lodge a protest after a Bangladeshi official in Islamabad was detained for four hours, two Dhaka officials said, amid a worsening diplomatic row between the two countries.

Weeks of rising tension in the relationship were sparked in late November by the executions in Bangladesh of two opposition leaders convicted of crimes against humanity during the 1971 war.

At the time, Pakistan’s foreign ministry had expressed “deep concern and anguish” at the executions, describing the trials of those involved in alleged atrocities during the conflict as “flawed”.

The Pakistani high commissioner was summoned after the Bangladeshi official in Pakistan was detained for hours on Monday, hours after police in the Bangladeshi capital had detained an official of the Pakistan High Commission, citing his “suspicious movement”.

War crimes tribunal sentences two more men to death
Both officials were released within a few hours.

“We have summoned the Pakistan high commissioner to lodge the protests on the missing incident,” said a senior official at the foreign ministry in Dhaka.

Television channels broadcast images of the Pakistani diplomat leaving the foreign ministry.

Phone calls to the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka went unanswered.

Last month, a Bangladeshi diplomat in Pakistan was expelled in what Dhaka officials called “an act of retaliation” after a Pakistani diplomat in Dhaka was expelled after being accused of spying.

In late December, Pakistan withdrew Farina Arshad, a diplomat at its high commission in Dhaka, after Bangladeshi authorities accused her of spying and being involved in financing Islamist groups.

Sentenced to death

The Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal sentenced on Tuesday two more men to death after finding them guilty of killing, kidnapping and looting during the 1971 war.

The three-judge panel in Dhaka ruled that Obaidul Haque Taher and Ataur Rahman Noni were involved in the deaths of seven people.

Prosecutors said they helped soldiers attack a village in Netrokona district on Oct 19, 1971. The men had pleaded not guilty.

The tribunal was established by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2010. Since then it has convicted 25 people, sentencing 21 of them to death.

Four people, including three leaders of the opposition Jamaat-i-Islami, have been hanged.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2016

 

[Pulsar]

At the time, Pakistan’s foreign ministry had expressed “deep concern and anguish” at the executions, describing the trials of those involved in alleged atrocities during the conflict as “flawed”.

Source: https://defence.pk/threads/in-worse...with-pakistani-diplomat.420508/#ixzz3z4pF5h1t

Why is Pakistan interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign Bangladesh? They can hang whoever they like. They have been convicted by the highest court of the land for atrocities committed against the people of Bangladesh and aiding and abetting the enemy during the Bangladesh war. So how do they say the executions are 'flawed'?

Pakistan needs to learn to keep their hands off other nations' internal affairs instead of pissing them off. They should sort out their own internal mess first before advising others.

 

[That Guy]

Hasina and Pakistan's own stupid politicians are hell bent on destroying any ties between the two. While I think the relationship is not that important, it will deal a blow to Pakistan's already weak stance in both South Asia and the world.

 

[salmanACCA]

Bengalis are doing now cheap publicity stunts like some celebrities just to stay in the spot light somehow

 

[That Guy]

Why is Pakistan interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign Bangladesh? They can hang whoever they like. They have been convicted by the highest court of the land for atrocities committed against the people of Bangladesh and aiding and abetting the enemy during the Bangladesh war. So how do they say the executions are 'flawed'?

Pakistan needs to learn to keep their hands off other nations' internal affairs instead of pissing them off. They should sort out their own internal mess first before advising others.

India can learn to do the same.

Besides, Pakistan is involved, whether BD would like to admit it or not. They've constantly used Pakistan as a boogieman in their politics, and are using these so called "war crime trials", which are nothing more than ways to crush the opposition (which they've succeeded in doing), to further their goals. With Hasina practically an Indian puppet, she's trying to destroy any sort of ties that BD may have with Pakistan.

 

[Pandora]

Well its tit for tat so Pakistan is not to be blamed here. Bangladesh will reap what they will sow. Under international law Bangladesh is not allowed to interrogate any diplomat bcz of their diplomatic immunity. If they are not willing to respect international laws then we should reply in kind as well.

 

[Nilgiri]

http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/dhaka-hands-protest-note-211546

Amid escalating diplomatic tension between Dhaka and Islamabad, the Bangladesh foreign ministry summoned the Pakistan envoy here to lodge a strong protest yesterday, a day after a staffer of Bangladesh mission in Islamabad remained missing for nearly seven hours.

Handing the "strongly-worded" protest note to Pakistan High Commissioner Shuja Alam, Dhaka called on Islamabad to refrain from repeating such uncalled for activities, sources said.

Serving and retired diplomats in Dhaka described Pakistan's recent activities as a "violation of diplomatic norms".

They said Pakistan went beyond any "decency," as it continued to interfere into the domestic affairs of Bangladesh and harass Bangladeshi diplomats for no reasons.

Rear Admiral (retd) Khurshed Alam, acting foreign secretary and also secretary to maritime affairs unit, summoned the Pakistan envoy at 1:00pm and expressed grave concern over Monday's incident. He also wanted to know from the diplomat the circumstances of the Bangladesh mission official's going missing and his subsequent return.

Jahangir Hossain, Press Wing personal officer at Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad, had gone missing on Monday evening, immediately after police in Dhaka released Pakistan High Commission staffer Abrar Ahmed Khan, who was allegedly detained for seven hours by the Detective Branch of police here.

Hours after Abrar's release, the Pakistan High Commission came up with a detailed description of how its official was picked up by the DB. The Pakistan mission also brought some serious allegations against the detectives, including that of asking for money from Abrar as well as threatening to kill him in "crossfire".

However, the Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad or the foreign ministry in Dhaka did not issue any statement yesterday as to what had happened to the Bangladesh official or where he was taken and by whom. There was no official statement about the protest note either.

Jahangir Hossain had gone missing around 6:00pm on Monday and returned home unharmed around 12:45am (Pakistan time) yesterday.

He later submitted a report to the Bangladesh mission, describing his seven-hour "harassment" by Pakistani plainclothesmen.

The men blocked his way when he was going on a motorbike to pick his daughter from a coaching centre, diplomatic sources said, citing Jahangir's report that was later shared with the foreign ministry in Dhaka.

They then dragged him into a car and tied his hands. The plainclothesmen identified themselves as security personnel and raised questions about Jahangir's identity.

Though he showed them his ID card, they tried to tag him as an Afghan national. This went on for about a couple of hours until one of them told him that his ID card had been verified, said the diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Islamabad.

The plainclothesmen had also covered his face with a black mask, according to another source.

Later, they dropped him off at an unknown place after midnight and returned his ID card, cell phone and motorbike, Jahangir was stated as saying in his report.

The two incidents have further fuelled tensions between the two countries. Diplomatic ties between Dhaka and Islamabad are already strained, after Pakistan's statements on trials of the 1971 war criminals and alleged terrorist links of diplomatic officials of the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said the government was not considering severing diplomatic ties with Pakistan.

"But future will say what direction the relations will go," he said in reply to questions in parliament yesterday.

Contacted, noted Bangladeshi diplomat Humayun Kabir described the incident of the Bangladesh mission official's going missing as "very dangerous".

He also apprehends risks on the lives of Bangladesh diplomats and officials in Pakistan if such incidents continue to take place.

"The incident has gone beyond the diplomatic norms and decency … This is not desirable and should not happen. There may be a major accident if this type of incident continues in future," he said, calling for immediate talks between the two countries to resolve disputes and maintain certain diplomatic norms.

Secretary (bilateral) Mizanur Rahman was present at the meeting held at his office at the foreign ministry, when Shuja Alam said he would send the protest note to Islamabad immediately and assured the two secretaries of providing all the information related to the Bangladeshi staffer's going missing soon.

The Pakistan High Commissioner declined to elaborate on the meeting, but said, “I have been informed of yesterday's [Monday's] incident and I will convey the details to the foreign ministry after discussions with the Islamabad authorities.”

He added that Dhaka-Islamabad relations would continue as always and "I hope that relations would improve in the coming days".

The meeting lasted about an hour when the Bangladesh side described how Pakistan was interfering into Bangladesh's internal affairs since Dhaka began the war crimes trial in March 2010.

Pakistan withdrew Fareena Arshad, second secretary (political) at its High Commission in Dhaka, on December 23 last year, weeks after allegations of her involvement in terror financing surfaced in the confessional statement of an Islamist militant.

Earlier on January 31 that year, Islamabad recalled its non-diplomatic official Mazhar Khan for his alleged links with terror financing and currency forgery racket. Mazhar was allegedly involved in producing and distributing fake Indian currency.

In a move seen as a response, Pakistan asked Bangladesh to withdraw Maushumi Rahman, counsellor (political) at Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad, on January 6 without giving any reason.

Diplomatic ties between Dhaka and Islamabad soured after Bangladesh started executing convicted war criminals, who had actively collaborated with the Pakistan army in the genocide of some three million Bangladeshis and the rape of about two lakh women during the 1971 war.

Pakistan's parliament and a provincial assembly adopted resolutions after executions of a number of war criminals while senior ministers and the Pakistan foreign ministry launched a propaganda campaign by distorting some established facts about the war.

Following the execution of top Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Pakistan summoned the Bangladesh envoy there to lodge a formal protest on November 30 last year.

 

[Brahmaputra Mail]

India can benefit a lot with these diplomatic rift. Let's face it, the embassies, high commissionerates and consulates are legal safehouses of intelligence agencies. Any closure of Pakistani High Commission in Bangladesh can limit hostile espionage activities in our Eastern sector. Only if wishes were horses.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

In worsening row, Bangladesh lodges protest with Pakistani diplomat
AGENCIES — UPDATED ABOUT AN HOUR AGO

DHAKA: Bangladesh summoned on Tuesday Pakistan’s high commissioner to lodge a protest after a Bangladeshi official in Islamabad was detained for four hours, two Dhaka officials said, amid a worsening diplomatic row between the two countries.

Weeks of rising tension in the relationship were sparked in late November by the executions in Bangladesh of two opposition leaders convicted of crimes against humanity during the 1971 war.

At the time, Pakistan’s foreign ministry had expressed “deep concern and anguish” at the executions, describing the trials of those involved in alleged atrocities during the conflict as “flawed”.

The Pakistani high commissioner was summoned after the Bangladeshi official in Pakistan was detained for hours on Monday, hours after police in the Bangladeshi capital had detained an official of the Pakistan High Commission, citing his “suspicious movement”.

War crimes tribunal sentences two more men to death
Both officials were released within a few hours.

“We have summoned the Pakistan high commissioner to lodge the protests on the missing incident,” said a senior official at the foreign ministry in Dhaka.

Television channels broadcast images of the Pakistani diplomat leaving the foreign ministry.

Phone calls to the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka went unanswered.

Last month, a Bangladeshi diplomat in Pakistan was expelled in what Dhaka officials called “an act of retaliation” after a Pakistani diplomat in Dhaka was expelled after being accused of spying.

In late December, Pakistan withdrew Farina Arshad, a diplomat at its high commission in Dhaka, after Bangladeshi authorities accused her of spying and being involved in financing Islamist groups.

Sentenced to death

The Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal sentenced on Tuesday two more men to death after finding them guilty of killing, kidnapping and looting during the 1971 war.

The three-judge panel in Dhaka ruled that Obaidul Haque Taher and Ataur Rahman Noni were involved in the deaths of seven people.

Prosecutors said they helped soldiers attack a village in Netrokona district on Oct 19, 1971. The men had pleaded not guilty.

The tribunal was established by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2010. Since then it has convicted 25 people, sentencing 21 of them to death.

Four people, including three leaders of the opposition Jamaat-i-Islami, have been hanged.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2016

Current Bangladesh leaders are nothing but Indian agents. Last time those agents were done away within a couple of hours of ops. Let's see how it turns out this time..

 

[Rafael]

What is Bangladesh? How significant it is to Pakistan? You can cut ties with Pakistan and we will not give a single ****.

Bloody attention seekers!

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Why is Pakistan interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign Bangladesh? They can hang whoever they like. They have been convicted by the highest court of the land for atrocities committed against the people of Bangladesh and aiding and abetting the enemy during the Bangladesh war. So how do they say the executions are 'flawed'?

Pakistan needs to learn to keep their hands off other nations' internal affairs instead of pissing them off. They should sort out their own internal mess first before advising others.

This is comming from India? The only country in the world which has managed to piss off all of its neighbors? Trying to block the JF-17 deal, shoving their nose into Nepal's affairs, starting skirmishes in Pakistan, and ect... Both sides committed atrocities but people only want to hear Bangladesh's side. Atrocities to this day are being committed against the Bihar community - why arent they being executed?

 

[Atlanticore]

Unlike the jabhat al nusra of yours.

Unlike the biggest democracy of the World , we don't elect Mass Murderers as our State Heads. Opening such a mouth can only help you look foolish in front of people.

Why do we need Relations with Bangladesh? If we can survive without having relations with Israel then What kind of Weed Bangladesh is?

 

[Taimoor Khan]

What is the legitimacy of current Hasina regime? All political parties in last election boycotted and it was only Hasina and her "mukti Bhani" traitors came through unopposed. Under such circumstances, I am sure there can be plenty of ways for "regime change" in Dhaka. Hasina is getting desperate to please her overlords in Delhi, something must be cooking behind the scene.

 

[Kompromat]

Time to increase weapons sales to Myanmar, we should also go ahead with selling submarines to Myanmar Navy.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Time to increase weapons sales to Myanmar, we should also go ahead with selling submarines to Myanmar Navy.

No need to make an enemy out of the whole country when clearly the problem is with Hasina and her mukti bhani nutcases. We can be more efficient by throwing our weight with the opposition forces. Once she is neutralized, you will see a friendly Bangladesh in no time. This hostile environment is artificially created by Hasina obeying her masters in Delhi.