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Strains on foreign ties lamented

Staff Correspondent
Two lawmakers from ruling BNP and the main opposition Awami League (AL) at a parliamentary committee meeting yesterday observed that Bangladesh is becoming a friendless country due to diplomatic failures of the government.
Referring to the recent strains in our diplomatic relations with a few countries, they said the trend indicates that the country is losing its friends because of the deterioration in relations with a number of 'trusted' countries, meeting sources said.
AL lawmaker Syed Ashraful Islam and BNP lawmaker Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman at the meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign ministry criticised the ministry for the failure in maintaining good relations with different countries and donors.
"Relations with China has deteriorated due to the improper handling of Taiwan issue. The European Union expressed its frustration at a meeting in Washington without participation of Bangladesh," Mahbub told the meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
He expressed concern over the
deteriorating relations with India.
Mahbub pointed out that Bangladesh has been excluded from the upcoming South Asia visit of the Japanese prime minister. "This proves that the foreign ministry is failing to handle the diplomacy efficiently," the ruling party lawmaker noted.
Meeting sources quoted Mahbub as saying that the foreign ministry should have initiated appropriate steps earlier to check the deterioration of relations with friendly countries.
AL lawmaker Ashraful said Bangladesh is apparently becoming a friendless country. "It is the diplomatic failure of the government," he told reporters after the meeting.
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan was present at the meeting but he declined to say anything about the discussion when reporters asked for his comment.
The meeting also discussed the recent remarks of the prime minister and finance minister on certain countries and donors and the allegations against a number of diplomats of interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh.
Supporting the remarks, BNP
lawmakers Manjur Quader and Naser Rahman criticised the role of a number of diplomats without mentioning their names. They alleged that the activities of those diplomats were beyond diplomatic norms.
AL lawmaker Ashraful questioned the appointment of Hemayet Uddin as foreign secretary and alleged that Hemayet was appointed superseding six senior officers. In reply, the foreign minister said Hemayet was appointed foreign secretary fairly.
Ashraful also questioned the appointment of immediate past foreign secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury as ambassador to the US. He said Bangladesh's diplomatic relations with several countries deteriorated during his tenure as foreign secretary.
The parliamentary committee will discuss the relations between Bangladesh and neighbouring countries at the next meeting. It asked the new foreign secretary to prepare a report about the attitude of India towards Bangladesh, as he was the chief of Bangladesh mission in India before joining the present post.