C T Online Desk: A number of 34 eminent citizens of the country criticised the US Ambassador Peter Haas for not meeting the members of the “Mayer Kanna” and hearing their grievance.
Members of Mayer Kanna, an organisation of families of army personnel killed and disappeared during Ziaur Rahman’s military regime, wanted to meet the ambassador at a place where he went to hear grievance of family of leader of BNP, a party founded by Ziaur Rahman and now run by his wife Khaleda Zia.
In a joint statement, prominent citizens said Peter Haas refrained from meeting “Mayer Kanna” members who gathered at Shaheen Bagh area in the capital when he was coming out of residence of former Chhatra Dal leader Sajedul Islam Sumon on December 14.
“Mayer Kanna” members wanted to place a memorandum comprising demands before the US ambassador who avoided them and left the place hurriedly.
The manner of Haas showed to Mayer Kanna members contradicts diplomatic etiquette and the Vienna Convention (1961), eminent citizens opined.
US Ambassador could avoid unpleasing situation by receiving the memorandum of ‘Mayer Kanna’ and talking to the members, they added.
Mayer Kanna comprises children and relatives of hundreds of army personnel killed by Ziaur Rahman without trial in the name of coup (Sena-Biddroho). About 1,100 to 1,400 army personnel were hanged to death in just a few days from October 9, 1977.
Statement issuing citizens include former Dhaka University vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar, artist Rafiqun Nabi, Dhaka University (DU) Prof and Artist Dr Hasem Khan, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh Prof Mizanur Rahman, former pro-vice-chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Dr Nasreen Ahmed, former vice-chancellor of Jagannath University Prof Dr Md Mizanor Rahman, ex-vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Dr Anwar Hossain, DU former pro-vice chancellor Prof Dr Shahid Akhtar Hossain and Daily Sun editor Enamul Hoque Chowdhury.
