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Atiqur Rahman in Dhaka
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is likely to face a few embarrassing and uncomfortable moments during his visit to Bangladesh starting July 29.
For one, Dhaka has already announced its intention to raise the touchy demand for sharing assets worth US $4.5 billion held by Pakistan before the emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, as well the immediate repatriation of the nearly 2.5 million migrants from Bihar (India) now living in Bangladesh.
And then, the main opposition Awami League party has decided to unofficially boycott the Pakistani president in retaliation for his cancelling a meeting with the League leader and then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the United Nations Millenium Summit in New York in September 1999.
Musharraf, who arrives on Monday with a 30-member entourage, including wife Sehba and four ministers, will leave for Colombo on July 31.
On Thursday evening, the executive committee of the Awami League decided that the party leaders will not meet the Pakistani military ruler because 'Awami League is opposed to all kinds of military rule'.
However, Amir Hossain Amu, presidium member of the Awami League told rediff.com that they will not demonstrate against his visit.
Sheikh Hasina is now in Miami on a private visit to meet her daughter and son.
In her speech at the Millenium Summit, Sheikh Hasina had urged the UN to take action against military takeovers in its member countries.
An angry Musharraf promptly cancelled his scheduled meeting with her.
Earlier, Bangladesh had also endorsed the Commonwealth's decision to suspend Pakistan.
This was followed by expulsion of Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka Irfan Raza for violating diplomatic norms by his adverse remark about Bangladesh liberation and Justice Hamudur Rahman Commission Report, the publication of which embarrassed Pakistan.
At the time, Hasina had demanded an unconditional apology by the Pakistan government for genocide committed by its army in Bangladesh territory in 1971.
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