- News>
- Asia
Bangladesh signs treaty not to try US military personnel
Dhaka, Sept 04: Bangladesh has agreed not to try any American military personnel committing crime in that country and would hand them over to the US administration under an agreement signed clandestinely last month, a media report said today.
Dhaka, Sept 04: Bangladesh has agreed not to try any American military personnel committing crime in that country and would hand them over to the US administration under an agreement signed clandestinely last month, a media report said today.
As per the agreement, Dhaka cannot try and punish any US Army personnel for any crime committed in Bangladesh and cannot even take up any step to put forward the case in the International Criminal Court, mass circulated vernacular daily Parthom Alo said.
However, when contacted Bangladesh foreign minister Morshed Khan declined to comment on the agreement but maintained that although Bangladesh has signed a treaty on International Criminal Court, it has not ratified that treaty and "don't have interest to do so," it said.
The agreement came soon after the visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell in June and is the result of persistent pressure, including threats to stop all commercial transactions and financial assistance, put forward by Washington, it said. US is number one market for Bangladesh's RMG (ready made garment) which fetches over seventy per cent of country's annual export earning of nearly USD 7 billion and is a major provider of fund for development and an important investor, specially in hydrocarbon sector.
The agreement further says that United States would assist in handing over Bangladeshi military personnel, serving abroad as part of any International Peace Keeping Force, accused of any criminal activities, it said.
Bureau Report
However, when contacted Bangladesh foreign minister Morshed Khan declined to comment on the agreement but maintained that although Bangladesh has signed a treaty on International Criminal Court, it has not ratified that treaty and "don't have interest to do so," it said.
The agreement came soon after the visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell in June and is the result of persistent pressure, including threats to stop all commercial transactions and financial assistance, put forward by Washington, it said. US is number one market for Bangladesh's RMG (ready made garment) which fetches over seventy per cent of country's annual export earning of nearly USD 7 billion and is a major provider of fund for development and an important investor, specially in hydrocarbon sector.
The agreement further says that United States would assist in handing over Bangladeshi military personnel, serving abroad as part of any International Peace Keeping Force, accused of any criminal activities, it said.
Bureau Report