'Visiting a private residence not a crime' Touhid on diplomats' meeting

 
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Wednesday said that the reported meeting of three foreign ambassadors at the residence of former Awami League minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury in Dhaka was not a crime.

"They merely visited a private house. Diplomats can, in general, go to anyone's home. However, the discussion and expected outcomes of that meeting are naturally drawing attention," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital.

Speaking about the recent comment made by Indian foreign secretary regarding the upcoming national election of Bangladesh, the adviser said the remark is "completely unwarranted" as the election is entirely an internal affair of the country.

On a question about a letter reportedly sent by the President to him, Touhid said he had received it and preferred not to make any comment. 
"He (the President) simply expressed his feelings; I do not want to comment further on it," he said, adding that the letter had reached him physically long after it appeared on social media.

On reports of a possible Turkish military cooperation proposal, the adviser said such developments are part of normal bilateral engagements.

"Turkey has considerable military technology. We already have military cooperation with many countries and should continue to expand it. This is a normal development between two friendly nations," he said.Asked about reports of Bangladeshis being killed in counterterrorism operations in Pakistan, Touhid cautioned against generalising such incidents.

"There can be one or two isolated cases. Bangladesh is not participating in any such conflict, and we certainly do not want our citizens to be involved in any foreign operations," he said.