2013 siege of the Pakistani embassy in Dhaka

Last updated

The siege on Pakistan Embassy in Dhaka took place when hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission building in Dhaka's Gulshan diplomatic enclave after they broke through barbed wire barricades. [1]

Contents

The situation

The incident took place when Pakistan Parliament passed a resolution condemning the execution of Bangladeshi JI's secretary-general Abdul Qadir Molla who was hanged on 12 December 2013. Ultimately, Bangladesh summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner in Dhaka to lodge its protest over the resolution adopted by the National Assembly of Pakistan expressing concern over the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh leader Abdul Quader Molla. [2]

Tension arose when many political activists called for "cutting off its diplomatic ties with Pakistan and issued ultimatum for laying the siege of the high commission building. [3] At 3:00PM, the protestors moved marched towards the High Commission protesting against Pakistan and the marchers congregated there chanting anti-Pakistan slogans. [4] A shoe was thrown by a protester who along with 50-60 protesters rushed to the embassy gate, chanting slogan "Joy Bangla" (Victory to Bengal). At the Chittagong University, the protesters set fire to Pakistan's flag; similar incidents took place in all over the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan condemned the storming of Pakistan's High Commission in Dhaka and the incidents of burning the flag of Pakistan by Bangladeshi protesters. [1] The Foreign Office released the official statement, quoting that "Bangladesh is Pakistan's neighbouring Islamic country and Pakistan wants to strengthen ties with it." [5] Following the incidence, the security was tightened in and around the High Commission of Pakistan in Dhaka. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Bangladesh</span>

The foreign relations of Bangladesh are Bangladesh's relationships with foreign countries. The Government of Bangladesh's policies pursue a moderate foreign policy that heavily relies on multilateral diplomacy, especially at the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has stressed its principle of "Friendship towards all, malice towards none" in dictating its diplomacy. As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Bangladesh has tended to not take sides with major powers. Since the end of the Cold War, Bangladesh has pursued better relations with its neighbours and other nearby states.

Archer Kent Blood was an American career diplomat and academic. He served as the last American Consul General to Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is famous for sending the strongly worded "Blood Telegram" protesting against the atrocities committed in the Bangladesh Liberation War. He also served in Greece, Algeria, Germany, Afghanistan and ended his career as chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, retiring in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh–Pakistan relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bangladesh and Pakistan are both South Asian Muslim-majority countries. Following the end of British rule in India, the two countries formed a single state for 24 years. The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized Bangladesh in 1974. Today, bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan are considered to be cordial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abul Maal Abdul Muhith</span> Bangladesh politician, economist (1934–2022)

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was a Bangladeshi economist, writer, civil servant, secretary, diplomat and politician. He served as the finance minister of the government of Bangladesh from January 2009 until January 2019.

Anti-Pakistan sentiment, also known as Pakistan-phobia, Pakophobia or Pakistanophobia, refers to hatred, fear, hostility or irrational fixation toward Pakistan, Pakistanis and Pakistani culture. The opposite is pro-Pakistan sentiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh)</span> Domestic war crimes tribunal

The International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) (ICT of Bangladesh) is a domestic war crimes tribunal in Bangladesh set up in 2009 to investigate and prosecute suspects for the genocide committed in 1971 by the Pakistan Army and their local collaborators Razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams during the Bangladesh Liberation War. During the 2008 general election, the Awami League (AL) pledged to try war criminals. The government set up the tribunal after the Awami League won the general election in December 2008 with a more than two-thirds majority in parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 NATO attack in Pakistan</span> Afghanistan-Pakistan border skirmish

The 2011 NATO attack in Pakistan was a border skirmish that occurred when United States-led NATO forces engaged Pakistani security forces at two Pakistani military checkposts along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border on 26 November 2011, with both sides later claiming that the other had fired first. Two NATO Apache helicopters, an AC-130 gunship and two F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets entered as little as 200 metres (660 ft) to up to 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) into the Pakistani border area of Salala at 2 a.m. local time. They came from across the border in Afghanistan and opened or returned fire at two Pakistani border patrol check-posts, killing 28 Pakistani soldiers and wounding 12 others. This attack resulted in deterioration of relations between Pakistan and the United States. The Pakistani public reacted with protests all over the country and the government took measures adversely affecting the American exit strategy from Afghanistan, including the evacuation of Shamsi Airfield and closure of the NATO supply line in Pakistan. Pakistan also rejected a U.S. offer of compensation for the killing of its soldiers in the NATO attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 India–Pakistan border skirmishes</span> Series of armed skirmishes between India and Pakistan in Kashmir

The 2013 India–Pakistan border incidents was a series of armed skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir area. Starting from the mid-January 2013, they have been described as the "worst bout of fighting in the region in nearly 10 years". It began on 6 January 2013, when according to Pakistani reports Indian forces attacked a Pakistani border post, killing one soldier. Indian authorities claimed the incident as a retaliation against preceding Pakistani ceasefire violations, but denied having crossed the demarcation line. In a second skirmish on 8 January, Indian authorities said that Pakistani forces crossed the LoC, killing two Indian soldiers. The incident sparked outrage in India and harsh reactions by the Indian army and government over the news that the body of one of the soldiers had been beheaded. Pakistan denied these reports. On 15 January, a third skirmish reportedly led to the death of another Pakistani soldier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul Quader Mollah</span> A convicted war criminal and Islamist politician from Bangladesh.

Abdul Quader Mollah was a Bangladeshi Islamist leader, writer, and politician of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, who was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh (ICT) set up by the government of Bangladesh and hanged. The United Nations raised objections to the trial's fairness, while the general public in Bangladesh widely supported the execution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Shahbag protests</span> Shahbag Protests (movement) in 2013

On 5 February 2013, protests ignited in Shahbagh, Bangladesh, fueled by the call for the execution of the convicted war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah. Previously sentenced to life imprisonment, Mollah was convicted on five of six counts of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh. Mollah supported the West Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and played a crucial role in the murder of numerous Bengali nationalists and intellectuals. The demonstrations also sought the government's ban on the radical right-wing and conservative-Islamist group, Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in politics, including elections, and a boycott of institutions supporting or affiliated with the group.

The 2003 attack on the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul occurred when up to 500 Afghan protesters overran the embassy of Pakistan on 9 July 2003. It was the second major attack since 1995, when the embassy was also assaulted by Afghan protesters.

Nimr Baqir al-Nimr was a Shia cleric and critic of the government in Saudi Arabia, who was beheaded on 2 January 2016, one of 47 people executed that day for terrorism offenses. Others executed included Sunnis who had been convicted of involvement in terror attacks linked to al-Qaeda which took place in 2003. News of the killings triggered international demonstrations, and condemnation by nations, supranational organizations, and human rights groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran</span>

The 2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran was a mob action on 2 January 2016 by protesters demonstrating against the execution of prominent Saudi Arabian Shi'a cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Mobs stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the Saudi consulate in Mashhad and ransacked them. The embassy building was set on fire with Molotov cocktails and petrol bombs. During the attacks, the police arrived and dispersed protesters from the embassy premises and extinguished the fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Commission of Pakistan, New Delhi</span> Diplomatic mission of Pakistan in India

The High Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in New Delhi is the diplomatic mission of Pakistan in India. Between 1972 and 1989, the mission was known as the Embassy of Pakistan in New Delhi, as Pakistan was then temporarily a republic outside the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organization primarily comprising former territories of the British Empire.

Khondakar Abu Taleb (1921-1971) was a Bangladeshi journalist, who was killed by the Pakistani Army in the Bangladesh Liberation War and is considered a "martyr" in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and Maldives established diplomatic relations in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi</span> Pakistani diplomat and author

Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi is a Pakistani diplomat and author. He served as Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh from 2011 to 2014, and as High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2016 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Commission of Bangladesh, Islamabad</span> Diplomatic mission

The High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad is the chief diplomatic mission of Bangladesh to Pakistan. It is located in Sector F-6 of Islamabad. The present Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Pakistan is Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique, who assumed diplomatic duties in October 2020. Bangladesh also has a Deputy High Commission in Karachi, and an honorary consul in Lahore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh, Karachi</span> Diplomatic mission

The Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Karachi is a diplomatic mission of Bangladesh in Pakistan. It is located in Phase VI of the Defence Housing Authority in Karachi. The presently designated Deputy High Commissioner is S. M. Mahbubul Alam, who was appointed in 2021. The Deputy High Commission reports to the High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad.

Suhrab Hossain is a Bangladeshi diplomat. He served as the high commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada and Pakistan and ambassador to Thailand and Uzbekistan.

References

  1. 1 2 "Thousands storm Pak High Commission in Dhaka". The News International, 2013. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  2. "Bangladesh summons Pakistan High commissioner over NA resolution". Express Tribune, 2013. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  3. "Ultimatum to sever ties with Pakistan". bdnews24.com. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  4. "Dhaka protesters call for expulsion of Pak envoy over Molla resolution". Daily Times. Pakistan. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. "Situation Bangladesh". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  6. "Security beefed up at Pak HC in Dhaka". The Financial Express. Dhaka. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.