UN secretary-general's spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric has said that it is "not uncommon" for a Member State to call in a Resident Coordinator if they have an issue with what that person has said.
"..... these are procedures. These are processes that member states utilize when they may not be happy with something that someone has said. However, we have full confidence in the work of our country team," the spokesperson said while replying to a question.
On Thursday, the government summoned UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka, Gwyn Lewis, for her tweet expressing concern over the attack on Dhaka-17 by-election independent candidate Ashraful Hossen Alom commonly known as Hero Alom.
The government arrested 11 persons related to the attack.
Mushfiq Fazal Ansari, former assistant press secretary of Begum Khaleda Zia, and editor of justnewsbd, asked the question during the regular briefing at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday.
On upcoming general elections, the spokesperson briefly answered the question by saying that "We get asked this question many times."
Here is the details of the question and answer:
Question: Yeah. Thank you. On Thursday, Bangladesh Government summoned UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka, Gwyn Lewis, for her tweet expressing concern over the attack on Dhaka-17 by-election independent candidate Hero Alom. The main opposition party boycotted the election. Not only UN, 12 Western countries, including US and everybody…
Spokesman: Right. No, Mushfiq, I know the situation. What is the question, sir, if I may?
Question: No. My question is Secretary-General aware of that situation and why one Member State can summon to the Resident Coordinator for just an informal tweet or formal tweet expressing concern over this discussion?
Spokesman: Look, there are a couple of things. First of all, the Secretary-General has full confidence in the UN team in Bangladesh. It is not uncommon for a Member State to call in a Resident Coordinator if they have an issue with what that person has said. That is what it is, as one says. So these are procedures. These are processes that Member States utilize when they may not be happy with something that someone has said. But, we have full confidence in the work of our country team.
Question: One more on Bangladesh. Tens of thousands of people march in capital, Dhaka, and other city asking ruling Prime Minister's resignation before election expected in January. At least two opposition activists has died and hundreds of others are injured. So, from this podium, you were asking for a free fair election. Do you think the current situation is fair enough to holding a free fair election? Because people are…
Spokesman: What I do think is that people have a right to speak up, to demonstrate peacefully. Authorities have a responsibility to help people uphold that right and that goes across the board. We get asked this question many times. I'm not going to prejudge the elections before they happen.
