FM seeks arrest of fake adviser to US President

Foreign Minister Dr Ak Abdul Momen on Sunday sought the arrest of the so-called advisor to US President Joe Biden who held a press briefing at the BNP office with the party leaders.

Replying to a question, he said the foreign ministry official checked the issue with the US embassy and found that the mission was not aware of that.

“My personal position is that someone who promotes violence must be arrested, no matter who. He should be arrested. This is pure and simple,” he said after visiting the injured police personnel at the Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.

The US Embassy in Dhaka earlier on Saturday night said that rumors of any movement of the embassy are completely "false and inaccurate."

An embassy spokesperson also said: “This gentleman does not speak for the US government and is a private individual.”

The rumors began when a person named Mian Arafi visited the BNP office and identified him as an adviser of the US President Joe Biden’s election campaign.

After the clash with police that foiled the BNP’s rally, he turned up at the BNP’s Paltan office and assured opposition supporters of US president Joe Biden’s support to ensure regime change in Bangladesh.

Sitting with a number of BNP leaders including Ishraque Hossain, son of former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Arafi even went ahead to claim the US president is in full favour of the restoration of the caretaker government.

Aside from Biden, he bragged about his day-to-day contact with State Department and US embassy officials in Bangladesh.

He claimed all key players within the US government backed the opposition's movement to bring down the government without taking part in election as this is good for Bangladesh and countrymen.

“The US has given a deadline for Hasina to step down from government on November 3. If she doesn’t listen you will see our actions,” he said, adding that one of his close associates is now staying in Bangladesh and working in close coordination with US local embassy officials.

The video of his statement went viral. BNP, Jamaat supporters also shared the video with the media.

He was surrounded by BNP leaders including retired military officer Lieutenant General (Retd) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy.

One police constable was killed and 40 more were injured during the clash on Saturday.

The foreign minister asked the BNP to apologize for hitting the law enforcing agencies. “They must be ashamed of hitting police who protect us, who ensure security for the people.”