Bangladesh expresses strong discontent over UK parliamentary group’s remarks

Bangladesh has expressed strong discontent over what it termed “misleading statements” by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) of the UK regarding the deaths and minority issues in the country.

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain conveyed this sentiment to British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

“I told her [British high commissioner to Bangladesh] that we are very hurt because there has been an attempt to show that there have been more deaths after August 5. This is completely false,” he told reporters after his meeting with High Commissioner Cooke.

Touhid said he invited her to his office to present Bangladesh’s position and requested her to relay the actual situation on the ground.

The adviser shared two incidents—two members of the British Parliament delivered speeches on the minority situation in Bangladesh on November 2.

He informed the UK high commissioner about misinformation in those speeches. Apart from that, some British-based organisations have presented some information that does not reflect the authentic on-the-ground information.

“Members of Parliament can say whatever they want; there is nothing anyone can do here. But I have requested the British high commissioner to inform the British government of Bangladesh’s position on this issue,” Hossain said.

In response, Cooke assured the adviser that she would pass on the message and suggested that Bangladesh’s mission in London could also take steps to communicate the accurate narrative, he said.

Hossain shared with the high commissioner that nearly 1,500 people were killed before August 5, and the statement completely misrepresented the events of the July-August uprising.

The foreign adviser also said some incidents may have occurred after August 5.

“However, the way it has been portrayed is not correct. It’s absolutely not correct.”