Dhaka summons UN Resident Coordinator over tweet about Hero Alam

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Sheldon Yett over a tweet about the recent attack on Dhaka-17 by-polls independent candidate Ashraful Hossen alias Hero Alom.

Additional Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam summoned Yett to the Foreign Service Academy and asked to explain reasons behind the tweet by posted UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis.

Confirming the development to The Business Standard, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said Dhaka expressed its displeasure to the UN representative on the Hero Alam issue.

The state minister said, "We asked for the resident coordinator of the UN. But unfortunately, as he was not present, the acting resident coordinator came.

According to sources in the foreign ministry, Yett has also been asked about whether international organisations like the United Nations behave in the same way in different countries.

He was informed that Bangladesh expects that the United Nations would refrain from such unsolicited comments in the future.

Gwyn Lewis, in his tweet on Tuesday, condemned the attack on Hero Alam, saying, "The @UNinBangladesh is concerned over the attack on independent MP candidate Ashraful Alam during the Dhaka-17 by-poll.

"The fundamental human right of everyone to participate in elections without violence should be guaranteed and protected."

Besides, the missions of the Western countries stationed in Dhaka strongly condemned the attack on Wednesday.

The embassies and high commissions that signed the statement are - United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and European Union Delegation.