USA Bureau

The Consulate General of Bangladesh in New York expressed deep regret over an unexpected incident that occurred during a documentary screening at an event marking the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising.

During the event, invited guest Noor Hossain expressed a dissenting opinion regarding a section of the documentary, prompting counter-reactions from one or two other attendees. The situation lasted for about a minute and a half before the program resumed and concluded smoothly.

Following the incident, the Consulate issued an official statement on Monday.

According to the statement, the Consul General invited Noor Hossain to the consulate shortly after the incident and personally expressed regret for the untoward situation. The consulate also formally apologized for the entire occurrence.

The consulate emphasized that freedom of expression is a universal and fundamental right. While it is natural to agree or disagree with any viewpoint, respecting everyone's right to express their opinion is essential, the statement added, reiterating the consulate's commitment to upholding this right.

At the same time, the consulate stressed the importance of maintaining a cordial, disciplined, and dignified atmosphere during state and diplomatic events.

To prevent any recurrence of such incidents, the consulate announced strict precautionary measures. Moving forward, entry to any consulate event will be restricted strictly to invited guests possessing valid invitation letters and listed on the official guest list.

The Bangladesh Consulate in New York urged all stakeholders to show responsibility and cooperation to ensure future events are conducted successfully in a spirit of mutual respect, tolerance, and peace.