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Kennedy objects to official news release on his meeting with Babar

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
US Senator Edward Kennedy has expressed dissatisfaction over Bangladesh newspaper reports that he pledged support to the Trade Bill with Bangladesh and lauded Bangladesh government's actions in fighting domestic violence during his talks with the state minister for home, said sources.
The senator told Bangladesh ambassador in Washington DC Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury that he is surprised to read Bangladeshi newspaper reports, as none of the issues were discussed or raised at his meeting with the Bangladesh delegation led by Lutfozzaman Babar.
Asked by The Daily Star over telephone about the senator's reaction, the ambassador did not
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deny or admit it, but said, "We're discussing the matter and will talk about it later."
Sources in the US said the only issue Kennedy discussed with the Bangladesh delegation was the killing of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria.
Kennedy had asked the Bangladesh state minister to solve Kibria's case in a fair and impartial manner and suggested to him to follow all leads, even if the government officials are implicated in the assassination, they added.
A Bangladesh Press Information Department (PID) news release on July 29 said Babar during the July 28 meeting at the Capitol Hill informed Kennedy about the government's steps to ensure trial of all killings, especially that of Kibria.
The PID release sent to the media also said Kennedy lauded Bangladesh for taking necessary steps to fight domestic violence and assured Babar of his support for the Trade Bill. If passed in the US Congress, the Bill will allow quota-free access of Bangladesh's garment products to the US market.
But diplomatic sources told The Daily Star that the press release was grossly inaccurate.
The US lawmakers are 'very upset' at such reporting and a couple of senators, breaking the normal rule, have called and written Ambassador Chowdhury, expressing their serious objection, said the sources.
The lawmakers have asked the Bangladesh ambassador 'to make it clear to all in the Bangladesh government that such erroneous representation of their talks to the press only casts doubt on the government's credibility.
When this correspondent called Ambassador Chowdhury on
Thursday night and drew his attention to Kennedy's points, he firstly said they are discussing the matter.
Asked whether Kennedy's points that the Trade Bill issue and lauding the government's steps to fight domestic violence were not raised at the meeting, he gave a vague answer, saying, "We usually discuss many things."
The ambassador however finally said he would not answer the question.
Asked whether he would give a statement on the issue later, Chowdhury said he would not tell anything more about it.
Babar flew to the US on July 23 in an official visit and is likely to return today.