Tarique, Fakhrul, Khasru invited to National Prayer Breakfast in US: BNP
The event, which is a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners, is attended yearly by some 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury have been invited to attend the National Prayer Breakfast at Washington DC next month, the party's media cell said today (11 January).
The invitation was extended by US President-elect Donald Trump for the event, scheduled for 5-6 February, according to a statement posted on the cell's verified Facebook page.
The event is a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners, which include international invitees from across the globe.
However, Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP media cell, later told The Business Standard that the invitation letter was signed by Representatives Ben Cline, Zach Wamp, Tom Suozzi, and James Slattery.
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The event is scheduled for 6 February in Washington DC, USA, according to the website of the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation.
The event, which is a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners, is attended yearly by some 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries.
When asked about the upcoming event, a US Embassy official gave a statement, on behalf of Acting Spokesperson Asha Beh, that reads the US government and the Department of State "do not manage or influence the planning, invitations and participants" in the National Prayer Breakfast.
Professor M Shahiduzzaman from the University of Dhaka's International Relations Department told TBS that the invitation extends respect to BNP.
"The gesture reflects America's goodwill and suggests that those invited could play significant roles in strengthening Bangladesh-US relations in the future," he added.
He thinks that the invitation implicitly acknowledges the next generation of BNP leaders, as well as Tarique Rahman's key associates, while providing an opportunity for them to engage with Donald Trump.
M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador of Bangladesh to the US, said that while the invitation is positive, the National Prayer Breakfast is a large-scale event where intimate conversation with the president is unlikely.
"However, it offers opportunities for interactions with other influential figures," the former diplomat said, pointing out that the US engages with all parties and that this occasion could serve as a platform for BNP to further its communication with global democratic powers.
He added that while the invitation is a formal gesture, its value will depend on how the BNP utilises this opportunity.
The IRF Summit is distinct from the International Religious Freedom Ministerials organized annually by the US and partner governments, which the German government most recently hosted in Berlin on 10-11 October 2024.
The United States welcomes government and civil society engagement on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms both at home and around the world, including on freedom of religion or belief.
The US government and the Department of State do not manage or influence the planning, invitations and participants in the IRF Summit or the National Prayer Breakfast.
Those seeking information on the purpose, opportunities for participation, plans, schedules, components, or any other aspect of the IRF Summit may be directed to the organisation's website at www.irfsummit.org. Information on the National Prayer Breakfast is available at www.npbfoundation.com.
The statements, comments, positions, and opinions of participants or former officials at the IRF Summit or National Prayer Breakfast should not be interpreted as representing the opinions, positions, or policies of the US government.
The article has been updated with the statement from US Embassy Dhaka.
