Diplomatic Correspondent//

The United Nations is ready to assist Bangladesh in the investigation of conflict-violence centered on the quota reform movement. The organization has said to send a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh to overcome the crisis surrounding this movement. Now the foreign diplomats working in Dhaka want to know how Bangladesh wants to take this international aid including the United Nations.

The matter gained importance in the briefing of diplomats organized by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday afternoon. Foreign Secretary Masood Bin Momen and Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Naemul Islam Khan briefed diplomats of United Nations, European Union (EU) and 21 countries at Padma State Guest House.

According to diplomatic sources, the foreign diplomats in the briefing reiterated their demand for a credible investigation into the casualties and destruction of the country’s resources in the quota reform movement.

After briefing the diplomats, the foreign secretary told the reporters, “In the briefing, the diplomats were shown videos of various incidents.” There are some videos, especially of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), which prove that the RAB did not fire any shots from the helicopters. We got some videos of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), there, in an unexpected situation, the BGB was forced to shoot some blanks, that too only one, not all of them shot together.’ He said, ‘These videos have been shown to the ambassadors. There was a third party presence here (movement), it is clear from various video footages.

Masood bin Momen pointed out that some countries wanted to hear the government’s explanation about the current flow of events surrounding the quota reform movement. He said, “The main purpose behind showing the videos is that the ambassadors are getting different information from different sources and there are rumors in the information they get, so our intention is to take the idea of ​​the ambassadors in a right direction.”

When asked what was discussed in the briefing of the diplomats regarding international assistance in the transparent investigation of the recent incident, Masood bin Momen said, “We have highlighted the position in this matter first. The scope of the commission of inquiry which we have constituted has been extended. That commission has started working. If anyone has a proposal for technical assistance to assist the work of that commission, we hope to consider it. We have already started discussions on that.

I spoke last night with our Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He will also speak. What kind of technical support—it could be forensic, it could be legal. Those issues have been discussed. He said, “One or two people have shown interest in the briefing today. Discuss the specialty that they have. If there is a specific proposal, we will take it into consideration.”

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is ready to send a fact-finding mission to build confidence and de-escalate tensions among all stakeholders in Bangladesh with a view to overcoming the current crisis. When asked about the proposal, the Foreign Secretary said, Human Rights High Commissioner Falker Turk spoke about an independent commission of inquiry. What has been said by the United Nations is also a proposal. The Foreign Secretary said, ‘We will discuss it with them. I repeat again, let our commission work. At the moment we don’t want to do another separate or parallel thing.’

Masud Bin Momen said, “We want to let the commission that we have formed to do their work first. If there is more to be done after their work process is over, we will do it. We are hopeful that our commission, to bring it under the law in a fair and impartial manner with transparency…if the United Nations has (any) technical issues, we will take it into consideration.”

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Naemul Islam Khan said, ‘Our engagement with ambassadors or foreign friends is the beginning, it is not the end. Because, they have a lot of information and data. We have said that we are ready to talk about everything.’

According to diplomatic sources, several diplomats spoke and asked questions on various issues in this briefing for 21 countries including United States, China, Russia, India, United Kingdom and United Nations and EU diplomats at the State Guest House Padma. Among them were UN Permanent Representative Gwen Lewis, EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley and Canadian High Commissioner Lily Nicholas.

It is known that most of the participants in the discussion between the diplomats discussed the context of international cooperation in the investigation. On their behalf, a diplomat suggested that Bangladesh take forensic assistance if necessary for the sake of investigation.

Referring to the magnitude of the violence, a diplomat highlighted the rationale for proposing the involvement of the international community, including the United Nations, in a credible investigation into every loss of life, including students, journalists, police, and children.

A diplomat attending the talks reportedly questioned the number of arrests. A diplomat questioned the students, particularly in the case of arrests. Several diplomats then raised the same question. At that time, it was said by the government that the situation surrounding the movement was so extensive that it would be difficult to make a specific arrest.

At least two diplomats raised the issue of excessive use of force, multiple sources at the briefing said, noting that the issue of excessive use of force by law-enforcement forces came up for discussion.

Referring to the upholding of human rights, a diplomat commented that the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression should be ensured.
Foreign Secretary Masoud bin Momen said in response to journalists’ questions that some countries have questions about the number of arrests, whether excessive force is being used or not, whether there is freedom of speech or not.