BD London mission seeks action against attackers

‘BNP trying to shift blames on HC’

FE Team | Published: February 16, 2018 00:05:05

Bangladesh High Commission in London has urged the British government to take necessary legal steps against the persons who defamed the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and attacked the High Commission, including those who ordered the attack, reports UNB.
The High Commission in a statement on Thursday condemned the evil efforts made by BNP men to make the High Commission responsible for the incident. "It's very regrettable and condemnable."
The High Commission said no staff or official from the Mission did behave indecorously with the demonstrators rather they showed patience despite attacking remarks from the demonstrators.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), UK, issued a statement on Wednesday signed by its President and General Secretary regretting the incident.
The BNP, UK, in its statement described the attack carried out on February 7 as an "isolated, unexpected and unintended" incident and regretted it.
But they, in the statement, claimed that the extreme uncourteous behaviour of the High Commissioner and refusal to accept the memorandum generated dissatisfaction and anger among the demonstrators.
The High Commission said they noticed the BNP statement and dubbed it as an attempt to shift responsibility to the High Commission through untrue statement.
The High Commission said they issued the statement from the mission to avoid confusion among common people about the incident.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs here shared the statement issued by the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Thursday.
Leaders and activists of BNP have attacked the staff of Bangladesh High Commission in London and ransacked its furniture which the government termed tantamount to an attack on Bangladesh.
The High Commission came under sudden attack ahead of verdict in the graft case against Khaleda Zia on February 7.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, also a former prime minister, was jailed here for five years on Thursday after she was found guilty in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.
"Police have arrested one of the attackers. Video footage has been given to police. Police were there and the attack took place in presence of police," said Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on February 7.
The BNP activists and members of its wings forcibly entered the High Commission in the pretext of submitting a memorandum, said the High Commission.
They attacked the High Commission staff and vandalised assets of the mission, said the High Commission.