‘Fake’ advisor to US President should be arrested immediately: B’desh Minister

Dhaka, Oct 29 (IANS) Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen on Sunday demanded immediate arrest of an alleged ‘fake’ advisor to US President Joe Biden.

“The fake advisor to the US President, as claimed by the BNP, should be arrested immediately. Whosoever promotes violence must be arrested. I will talk to the officials of the relevant department in this matter,” Momentold reporters.

He also said that anyone advocating violence in the country should be immediately arrested, regardless of their nationality or political affiliation.

On Saturday, political rallies in Dhaka sparked clashes as election tensions rose, resulting in the death of a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporter and a policeman besides leaving several others, including journalists, injured.

Earlier on Saturday, Mian Zahidul Islam Arefy, who introduced himself as an advisor to the US President during a press briefing of the opposition BNP, sparked a controversy even as the US Embassy in Dhaka refused to recognise Arefy.

“This gentleman does not speak for the US government. He is a private individual,” said an Embassy spokesperson in Dhaka.

Reportedly, Arefy assured BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami of support from US President Joe Biden to ensure regime change in Bangladesh, which is set to go to the polls early next year.

Sitting beside BNP leader Ishraque Hossain, son of former Dhaka Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, at BNP's central office here, Arefy claimed that the US President is in favour of restoration of the caretaker government in Bangladesh.

Arefy also claimed that he is in touch with the US State Department and Embassy officials in Bangladesh, adding that all the key players within the US government back the opposition's (BNP) movement .

Meanwhile, Momen on Sunday visited the Central Police Hospital (CPH) to meet the injured persons.

“BNP men who attacked police personnel and journalists should be ashamed of themselves. It is an unfortunate incident. BNP should apologise publicly,” Momen said.

"They [the attackers] should be given exemplary punishment so that no one dares to repeat such acts," he said.

Talking about Arefy, the Foreign Minister said that the US President will not have such an 'advisor'.

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