Home
+
The government does not oversee or influence the IRF Summit or National Prayer Breakfast's planning, invitations, or participation, it clarifies
Published : 12 Jan 2025, 02:02 AM
The US Embassy in Dhaka has clarified that the US government has no involvement with the National Prayer Breakfast scheduled in Washington, DC.
Speculation about government involvement arose after BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and two senior leaders received invitations.
Reports on several Facebook pages claimed that US President-elect Donald Trump had invited these BNP leaders.
In response to a question about the event, the US Embassy told bdnews24.com: "The United States is not hosting, organising, or funding the IRF Summit or National Prayer Breakfast.
The embassy differentiated the IRF Summit from the International Religious Freedom Ministerials, which are organised annually by the US and other partner governments.
“The IRF Summit is distinct from the International Religious Freedom Ministerials organised annually by the US and partner governments, which the German government most recently hosted in Berlin on Oct 10-11, 2024.”
The United States welcomes government and civil society engagement on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms both at home and around the world, including on freedom of religion or belief, it said.
The statement continued: “The US government and the Department of State do not manage or influence the planning, invitations and participants in the IRF Summit or the National Prayer Breakfast.
“Those seeking information on the purpose, opportunities for participation, plans, schedules, components, or any other aspect of the IRF Summit may be directed to the organisation’s website at www.irfsummit.org. Information on the National Prayer Breakfast is available at www.npbfoundation.com.
“The statements, comments, positions, and opinions of participants or former officials at the IRF Summit or National Prayer Breakfast should not be interpreted as representing the opinions, positions, or policies of the US government,” the embassy further clarified.
The other invited leaders are BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The event will take place on Feb 5 and 6 in Washington, DC, organised by members of the US Congress.
The annual event, usually held on the first Thursday of February, serves as a platform for dialogue among national and international leaders.
Trump, re-elected as president in the November 2024 elections, will begin his second term at the White House on Jan 20, 2025.
