Protests in Bangladesh against Pakistan National Assembly Resolution on the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah; EU declined to send observer for parliamentary elections; Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA apprised senator of the current political
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    • (DECEMBER 16-22)

    According to reports, the Pakistan National Assembly adopted a resolution expressing concern over the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah, who, it said, was “hanged for supporting Pakistan in 1971″. Following the resolution adopted by the Pakistan National Assembly, Dhaka summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner in Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi Qureshi and strongly protested Islamabad’s reaction, terming it interference in the domestic affairs of Bangladesh. Condemning the resolution, PM Hasina said “by passing the resolution at national assembly, Pakistan has proved that it never accepted the victory of Bangladesh in the Liberation War of 1971, and they still have allies in Bangladesh.” 1 Several thousand people in Dinajpur, Mymensingh area formed human chain to protest the Pakistan resolution. Protestors urged the government to snap diplomatic relations with Pakistan if it did not apologise for their acts immediately. 2 Bangalees living in the UK also demonstrated before the Pakistan embassy in London protesting the resolution and handed over a memorandum to the Pakistan embassy, which read, “We the UK Bengali community are disappointed to learn that the Pakistan parliament has passed a resolution to condemn the sentencing of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla for his crimes committed during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.” 3

    In another development, according to reports, the European Union has declined to send observers for the January 5 parliamentary elections, saying political forces in Bangladesh had failed to create conditions for credible polls despite many efforts, including that under UN auspices. Issued in Brussels on December 20 by spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and vice-president of the commission, the statement was sent to the government, said sources in the EU Dhaka office. 4 In the meantime, the EU diplomats in Dhaka did not attend the Victory Day programme at Savar citing a reason of their urgent “coordination meeting” on Bangladesh’s current situation. 5

    In other developments, according to reports, Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Akramul Qader has apprised Senator John McCain III, an influential member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of the current political situation of the country highlighting the government’s efforts to bring the opposition BNP to the January 5 elections. The talks centered around Senate Resolution 318 regarding “the critical need for political reform in Bangladesh” recently approved at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 6

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