The National Citizen Party (NCP) has demanded the “immediate dismissal of the entire foreign service team, including the Bangladesh Consul General in New York,” following the harassment of political leaders in the United States and an egg-throwing incident targeting NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen.
In the statement issued on Tuesday condemning and protesting the incident, the NCP put forward two other demands: The Bangladesh government should file a formal complaint directly with the US federal government, the New York City government, and law enforcement agencies; and the government must ensure the highest level of security for all visiting leaders for the remainder of the trip.
The statement said, “We express our deep concern and anger that ‘terrorists supporting the Bangladesh Awami League’ have carried out a despicable attack on NCP leaders Akhter Hossen and Tasnim Jara, who are visiting the United States with Muhammad Yunus. This incident is not only a manifestation of political violence but also an example of the extreme failure of the state’s diplomatic dignity and security system.”
The statement questioned, “If participants in an official visit cannot receive minimum security, what is the justification for the existence of Bangladeshi consulates and embassies abroad? In whose interest are they working, and why are they not taking effective action against such criminals?”
It further stated, “The Bangladesh government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have completely failed to provide security for individuals on an official visit. We demand immediate and firm action from the Bangladesh government on this matter.”
The statement added, “BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other members of the delegation were also present with Akhter Hossain and Tasnim Jara during this attack and faced the wrath of Awami terrorists, but the primary targets of this attack were NCP leaders specifically. The anger of the vengeful attackers has not subsided against those who risked their lives during the July uprising. The ‘murderer Hasina’ government arrested and tortured Akhter Hossain in July and he is still paying the price for that struggle. This is an extreme failure of the interim government.”
It stated, “We clearly state that such terrorist attacks by the Awami League on foreign soil are a threat not only to the security of expatriate Bangladeshis but also to Bangladesh’s dignity and democratic future. We strongly condemn this and demand immediate effective action.”
