United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernández-Taranco on Wednesday met US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal in Washington DC and discussed about the current political situation in Bangladesh.

UN Secretary General’s spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed this while addressing daily noon briefing in New York on Thursday.

In response to a question on Bangladesh, the spokesman said Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, as part of his functions; he is in regular contact with Member States, including the United States (US).

In his meeting with Nisha Biswal, Mr. Fernandez-Taranco discussed among other issues the situation in Bangladesh, Dujarric said.

They also express concern about the escalation of violence and stressing the need for peaceful de-escalation of the situation, the spokesman added.

Journalist Matthew Russell Lee asked the spokesman, ‘On the situation in Bangladesh, which you just talked about earlier and you also read a statement, I mean, the thing is, it's an ongoing situation and where there seems to be no resolution because the opposition is constantly under strain of being arrested and incarcerated.  Does the secretary‑general have, has any idea as to whether he can send a special envoy over there to…?’

In reply, the spokesman said, ‘I think, you know, you may have missed part of what I said yesterday (Wednesday), and that is the secretary‑general has tasked Oscar Fernández‑Taranco, the Head of the Peacebuilding Office, to liaise with the Government and opposition leaders on exactly those issues.  That is something he is doing.  And the secretary‑general is obviously personally committed to the stability of and development in Bangladesh, and we continue to deplore the loss of life.  And I think the key message is for a peaceful and… peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis.  Mr. Lee?’

Mr. Lee said, ‘BNP Chairperson (Khaleda Zia), three times elected Prime Minister is confined.  And the ruling authority, they are not even allowing from yesterday (Wednesday)… day before yesterday… even any food.  And their staff, they are eating some dry food having noticed or not in the news media came up.  So, what is your comment regarding these inhumane situation?’

In reply, Mr. Dujarric said, ‘Obviously, the secretary‑general is concerned about the situation and he's calling for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing political tensions that we see, and it is something that his assistant secretary‑general, Mr. Taranco, is following closely.’