Recall of 2 diplomats routine work

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has denied that two Bangladeshi diplomats -- one from Iran and another from Lebanon -- are being recalled on charges of moral degradation and financial irregularities.

“No no…it’s routine work. The government rule is to transfer diplomats after they are posted in a place for three years,” he told reporters at his office in the foreign ministry yesterday.

The Bangladeshi diplomats in Iran and Lebanon have been there for over three years, he said.

According to a Prothom Alo report published yesterday, AKM Mujibur Rahman Bhuiyan and Abdul Motaleb Sarker, Bangladesh ambassadors to Iran and Lebanon, were asked to return to Dhaka following recommendations by multiple committees to probe allegations of moral degradation and financial irregularities.

To probe into the allegations, Bangladesh ambassador to Germany Imtiaz Ahmed was sent to Iran in March last year, while Bangladesh Ambassador to China M Fazlul Karim was sent to Lebanon in September. Both had submitted their reports, the Bangla daily reported.

Asked further about the allegations, the foreign minister yesterday said, “I will have to check.”

The government is very strict about irregularities, he said.

The government had earlier withdrawn a diplomat from Australia following allegations of irregularities.

On Rohingya crisis, he said it would be a major issue for discussion during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China early next month. He hoped China, which has significant influence over Myanmar, would put more pressure on Myanmar for creating conducive condition for the return of the Rohingyas.

“We are urging our friendly countries, especially those having influence on Myanmar like China, to create pressure on them [Myanmar] for creating conducive environment inside Rakhine for their safe repatriation,” he added.

Myanmar will be under huge pressure as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation agreed to launch Myanmar’s human rights violations against Rohingyas to the International Court of Justice.

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million forcefully displaced Rohingyas, including around 750,000 who arrived in Cox’s Bazar since August 25, 2017 after a military crackdown by Myanmar.

On the PM’s recent Japan visit, he said it was a great success as a $2.5 billion dollar official development assistance agreement was signed with Japan. 

“It’s a lot of money. It will help Bangladesh take off.”

Japan has also agreed to recruit skilled workers from Bangladesh, he added.