Bangladesh
Police obstruct Mancha from laying a siege to Pakistan High Commission
The law enforcers stopped Mancha activists at Gulshan-2 square at around 3pm while they were marching towards the mission.
On being intercepted, the activists went for a sit-in demonstration on the street.
The Mancha alleged that police had arrested several people, including two of its activists, from Gulshan-2 and surrounding areas over their participation in the march.
Speaking at the demonstration, its spokesperson Imran H Sarker called the Pakistan High Commission ‘a den of militancy’.
“Police are obstructing people from laying a siege to the den of militancy whereas the State is supposed to take action against militants,” he said.
Sarker said the Mancha would continue with its sit-in protests and again march towards the mission later.
Diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have sunk to a new low after Islamabad expressed its concern over the execution of two war criminals, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, in November last year.
A month later, Pakistan withdrew Second Secretary Farina Arshad from its Dhaka mission following allegations of her links to militants.
Several days later, Pakistan asked Bangladesh to withdraw its diplomat Moushumi Rahman from its Islamabad High Commission within 48 hours, without citing any reason.
Since the row erupted, the Mancha has been demanding that Bangladesh sever diplomatic relations with Pakistan.
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