M Humayun Kabir: A leading US portal Politico reported that BNP has hired the services of two US-based firms to lobby the Trump administration on its behalf.
However, several senior BNP leaders denied the authenticity of the report.
The report published on September 10 read, “Abdul Sattar of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party has hired Blue Star Strategies and Rasky Partners to lobby the Trump administration on its behalf ahead of upcoming elections in Bangladesh.”
“The contract with Blue Star is worth $20,000 a month in August and $35,000 a month for the rest of the year. Rasky Partners is working as a subcontractor to Blue Star; its cut of the money is $10,000 a month in August and $15,000 a month for the rest of the year,” it said.
Politico quoted a Justice Department disclosure as saying, “Blue Star Strategies will engage in message development and narrative; outreach to elected and appointed US Executive Branch officials; outreach to US Congress; international financial, health, labour, human rights, women’s empowerment and election monitoring organisations; public policy institutions in the US; former US officials and ambassadors; the private sector and diaspora community.”
Talking to The Daily Star, ABM Abdus
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