Govt has failed to manage US as claimed: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Thursday that Bangladesh government failed to manage the United States as claimed by Foreign Minister Ak Abdul Momen and State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shahriyar Alam.

Rather the US is concerned over the current political situation in Bangladesh, said Rizvi, at a virtual press conference.

He accused ministers of dishing out blatant lies at home and abroad and brutally suppressing the opposition to "hold another fraudulent election" on January 7.

He said, "The the ministers are continuing to spread false propaganda at home and abroad to get rid of obstacles ahead of the election. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alams recent statement that the US has been managed is completely false and the claims have been rejected by the US.

"The US called it blatant lies. The US has not been managed, but they have expressed concern about mass arrests and torture of opposition leaders and activists in Bangladesh."

Rizvi said the statements of the Foreign Minister and the State Minister of Foreign Affairs brought disgrace to Bangladesh, being the travesty of the truth, reflecting undiplomatic conduct.

"Since they are interested in money, money laundering and property, they feel no remorse in making false, fabricated and wrong statements," he said He also said police had besieged the central office of the BNP for more than one-and-a-half months.
 
"The BNP Chairpersons office at Gulshan is also  monitored by law enforcement forces loyal to Sheikh Hasina," he said.

The US recently expressed concern over blatant lies dished out by the authorities in Bangladesh ahead of the election.

At a regular press briefing in Washington on December 13, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed concern over election-related disinformation in Bangladesh.

At the briefing, a reporter pointed out that Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam had said they would be able to "manage" the United States.

Miller also said that the US felt "deeply concerned" over reports of torture in custody following mass arrests of opposition leaders and activists  in Bangladesh.