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BANGLADESH-FRANCE-LETTER
Instigative act shouldn’t taken on sensitive issue: Dhaka says Paris
DHAKA, Nov 4, 2020 (BSS) – Dhaka has conveyed to Paris that Bangladesh believes in freedom of expression and considers that any instigative act should not take place over sensitive issues.
“I wrote to French foreign minister …. (that) no one should do any instigative act over sensitive topics (in the name of freedom of expression),” foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters at foreign ministry here.
Dr Momen wrote a letter to his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian recently where Dhaka also condemned the recent terrorist acts in France in the name of religion.
“We are sad for those, irrespective of all who lost lives in their country (France) .. we don’t want any loss of life unnecessarily,” he said.
He said Bangladesh is committed to show respect to everyone’s religious and cultural sensitivity. “It’s our long-standing policy showing respect to each other… we are very aware of it ” he added.
The foreign minister said there is an obligation in practicing freedom as everyone has sensitivity.
He said Bangladesh does not interrupt anyone’s freedom of opinion and expression while the government does not instigate anything regarding sensitive issues.
He also suggested not to mix up religious sentiment with economic issues.
On Tuesday, foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen urged all quarters to exercise freedom of expression responsibly without hurting religious sentiments while he condemned terrorist acts in the name of religion.
“We want to remind everyone that there is a perspective of responsibility (before) making comments, that could hurt religious sentiment, in the name of freedom of expression,” he said.
On the other side, Masud said, Bangladesh does not support violence in the name of religion.
Referring to the ongoing protests in Bangladesh against recent comments on Islam made by the French president, the foreign secretary urged all sides to remain peaceful and show respect to others.
BSS/ASG/TA/ARS/2029 hrs