Dhaka summons British acting HC, clarifies Khaleda’s legal state

The foreign ministry today summoned the British Acting High Commissioner (AHC) here to convey Dhaka’ disappointment over a UK’s human rights report which tended to mean that BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was now under "house arrest", misinterpreting her current status.

“The Acting High Commissioner (AHC) was told that it was grossly misleading to use the words "house arrest" in reference to the current situation of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),” a foreign office in a statement said.

It said the acting British envoy Javed Patel was summoned to convey the government's views and disappointment with certain issues mentioned in the Bangladesh chapter of the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2020 released by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) last Thursday.

The statement said the foreign ministry clarified to the envoy the government suspended her prison term "released" her in March 2020 on condition that she would receive medical treatment at home and would not travel abroad.

It said that Begum Zia was conditionally freed under a provision of Bangladesh's criminal procedure code in response to an application of Begum Zia's brother.

The statement said the envoy was also informed that Begum Zia was initially freed for six months but the timeline was subsequently extended twice in September 2020 and March 2021.

“The AHC was told that it would be advisable to consult the concerned authorities of the government in case of any confusion over such legal issues,” said the statement.

A foreign office spokesman said West Europe and EU wing's director general Faiyaz Murshid Kazi interacted with the envoy as he was called to the ministry. 

The foreign ministry said it was further suggested that any official document of the UK government should also refrain from using "any form of insinuating and misleading" statements about Bangladesh government or the ruling Awami League party.

According to the statement Dhaka also expressed concerns about the number of temporarily sheltered Rohingyas, which was quoted in the UK's report.

The Foreign Ministry officials reiterated the government's position on certain terminologies used in the report in reference to Bangladesh that are either not internationally agreed upon or not recognised by Bangladesh's own laws.

According to the statement the Acting British High Commissioner took note of the Dhaka's views and assured of conveying those to his country's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and added the UK valued its diversified partnership with Bangladesh.

Patel also wished to continue a constructive dialogue on human rights and governance issues through the established mechanisms.

He recognised Bangladesh as a 'maturing democracy' and said that the UK government did not take sides with or against any political party of the country, said the foreign ministry’s release. 

The officials on both sides agreed on the importance of using authentic sources of information for citations in official documents or reports.