Shawdesh Desk:

The statement made by foreign missions in Dhaka over the attack on a candidate of Dhaka-17 by-election is clear violation of the Vienna Convention, information and broadcasting minister Hasan Mahmud said on Thursday.

He said this while replying to questions from journalists after unveiling the cover of a book on Bangabandhu published by the Press Institute of Bangladesh at the secretariat.

‘Ambassadors are behaving like political parties. I would ask them to abide by the Vienna Convention. At the same time, it is clear from Mirza Fakhrul’s statement that they want to politics of violence, which they have already started. However, the government will  prevent them with a strong hand,’ said Hasan.

‘When there is violence in India or Pakistan or in any other neighboring country, ambassadors do not issue statements like this. Why are statements are being made like this in our country?’ he asked.

‘They are actually being provoked by some of our politicians and some in civil society members.  So before blaming the ambassadors, I think the people who provoke them are responsible for that.’

However, the ambassadors must comply with the Vienna Convention,’ Hasan added.

Earlier, foreign missions in Dhaka called for a full investigation and accountability of the perpetrators involved in the assault on Hero Alam.

In a joint statement, the foreign missions said, ‘We condemn the July 17 attack on Dhaka-17 constituency candidate Ashraful Alam, popularly known as Hero Alam. Violence has no place in the democratic process.’

‘Everyone involved in the upcoming elections should ensure that they are free, fair, and peaceful,’ said the diplomatic missions in Dhaka.

The joint statement was signed by the embassies/high commissions of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and the delegation of the European Union.

Hero Alam, an independent candidate contesting the Dhaka-17 by-election, was physically assaulted while leaving a polling centre in Banani area on July 17.