Bangladesh ties strained

ISTANBUL

Ties between Turkey and Bangladesh have been strained by a letter from President Abdullah Gül to his counterpart demanding people from the Jamaat-e-Islami party be pardoned as they are too old to stand trial.

Bangladesh asked the international community yesterday not to make any requests in favor of those facing trial in the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). “Bangladesh does not want anyone to make any request or recommendation for the persons accused of war crimes,” Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said, according to Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Star.

Gül reportedly requested President Zillur Rahman give “clemency” to the accused people on trial in the ICT, particularly its former chief Ghulam Aazam, for the “sake of peace in society.”

Responding to Gül’s letter to Rahman, the foreign minister said Turkey had officially informed them that the country had no intention at all of interfering in any internal matter of Bangladesh.