BD HC in UK chided for not taking care of Razzak

The Bangladesh High Commissioner in UK came under criticism from senior members of the treasury bench for not taking any care of veteran Awami League leader Abdur Razzak receiving treatment at a London hospital, reports UNB. Initiating an unscheduled discussion in parliament, Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed, who visited ailing Abdur Razzak suffering from acute liver and kidney complications, said the High Commissioner did not even go to see him at the hospital. "When I asked Razzak Bhai whether the High Commissioner came to see him, he was silent," he said, adding that Razzak bhai's wife retorted "no, the High Commissioner did not come for a day." Tofail said when he telephoned the High Commissioner and asked whether he had visited Razzak at the hospital, the reply was "no". He said the High Commissioner told me, "he was busy" with protocol duties receiving ministers at airport. "Today I had to go to airport to receive the Foreign Minister," the High Commissioner said. Tofail told the High Commissioner that Abdur Razzak is not a mere member of parliament but a veteran politician and organised the War of Liberation under the leadership of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Tofail said that after listening to him, the High Commissioner went to see Razzak on that day. Tofail also complained that he did not see the High Commissioner at any event of the CPA conference in London that he attended. He informed the House that Abdur Razzak will undergo kidney and liver transplantation in the first week of December and requested the members of parliament to pray for his early recovery. Tofail's vivid accounts about the High Commissioner's behaviour seemingly angered the members and led Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Suranjit Sengupta and Mohammad Fazlul Azim to take the floor to rebuke the High Commissioner. Abdul Matin Khasru, a member of the House panel of chairmen, who was in the chair, said: "This cannot be accepted. Such audacity should not be allowed. This is no charity; this is their (diplomats') responsibility." He requested the Foreign Minister to make sure that Bangladesh High Commission in London takes proper care of veteran politician Abdur Razzak, who was at the forefront of all democratic movements under the leadership of Bangabandhu.