Dhaka discourages travel to New Zealand as 5 Bangladeshis killed in mosque shootings

The government is discouraging citizens to travel to New Zealand following last Friday’s terror attacks that killed five Bangladeshis living there.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen says they had issued a travel advisory soon after the attack at the Al Noor and Lynnwood mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers on Mar 15.

He confirmed the news of death of five Bangladeshis.

Those include former professor of Bangladesh Agriculture University Prof Abdus Samad, Hosne Ara Ahmed, wife of Farid Ahmed from Sylhet, Mozammel Haque from Chandpur, Zakaria Bhuiyan from Narsingdi Palash and Mohammed Omar Faruk from Natayanganj.

Hosne Ara

Prof Abdus Samad

Of the injured, the condition of Lipi from Kishoreganj is still critical. The other two injured – Mutassim from Gazipur and Sheikh Hasan Rubel – are out of danger.

The minister said New Zealand will take one close family member of the victims so that they can take the body.

Prof Samad will be laid to rest in New Zealand. His son will travel from Bangladesh.

Momen said the government of New Zealand has decided to hand over the dead bodies of Bangladeshi victims to an individual family member, who can travel to New Zealand.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appointed a focal point to that end.

The official, Md Walid Bin Qasem, an Assistant Secretary at the Consular and Welfare Wing of the foreign ministry, can be reached on mobile phone at [phone] or via email: [e-mail].

The foreign minister said the designated officer will also help facilitate the visa issue.

The webpage link for visa application is - https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident.

After completing the application, they have been asked to contact with the designated officer Qasem.

Relatives of a member of the Bangladeshi community wait for news at a community centre in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 17, 2019. Reuters

The foreign minister said world leaders have condemned the terrorist attack and sent their condolences to Bangladesh.

“We’ll raise our voice against the use of automatic guns in this way,” he said, adding that “Bangladesh should take the lead.”

“We will try to bring a resolution at the UN against the use of automated guns,” he said.

Asked about the travel advisory, he said the government had issued it to make citizens aware of the situation.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and two other secretaries at the foreign ministry – Md Kamrul Ahsan and Mahbub Uz Zaman – were also present at the briefing.