B’desh objects to Mamata Banerjee’s ‘offer’ to shelter refugees amid civil unrest
New Delhi: The Bangladesh government has raised strong objections to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee’s recent remarks on the situation in the neighbouring country with the High Commission of India.
During the Martyr’s Day event of the Trinamool Congress on July 21, Mamata Banerjee said that in the wake of the escalating violence in Bangladesh, she would keep the doors of the state open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud was quoted by local broadcaster Somoy TV as saying, “With due respect to the West Bengal Chief Minister, with whom we share a very warm and close relationship, we want to make it clear that her remarks have a lot of scope for creating confusion. Therefore, we have sent a note to the Government of India.”
Taking strong objections to Banerjee’s remarks, the Bangladesh government called them provocative, “spreading false elements concerning the internal affairs of Bangladesh”.
The Bangladesh government also said that it is trying to bring normalcy to the country, and such remarks by the Chief Minister were misleading.
“I should not be speaking on the affairs of Bangladesh since it is a sovereign country and whatever needs to be said on the issue is the subject matter of the Centre.
“But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of West Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter,” Banerjee said at the ‘Martyrs Day’ rally last Sunday.
She also said that there is a United Nations resolution to accommodate refugees in regions adjacent to those in turmoil.
However, the Bangladesh government said that the situation mentioned by Banerjee with reference to the United Nations resolution does not prevail in the country.
Further, it said the comments, in particular the assurance of giving shelter, may provoke many people, especially the terrorists and miscreants, to take advantage of such an announcement.