Serve people with a smile: Foreign minister to Bangladesh missions

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has asked all Bangladeshi missions abroad to serve people with a smile.

He made the instruction during a video conference with the Bangladesh ambassadors based in Europe earlier this week, said a foreign ministry statement today.

However, the context behind the minister's interesting directive could not be known yet.

It has been a common complaint from many Bangladesh expatriates that they don't get good service from the missions, especially in the countries where there is a high concentration of Bangladeshi migrant workers.

Following the arrest of Bangladesh MP Shahid Islam Papul in Kuwait on June 6 on charges of human trafficking, money laundering and bribery, Foreign Minister Momen has said it was shameful for Bangladesh.

He was accused of charging Tk seven-nine lakhs from the Bangladeshi workers promising recruitments in Kuwait. However, many of them did not get proper jobs or were charged money for renewal of work permits.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Kuwait, SM Abul Kalam, was also accused of supporting Shahid Islam and being behind deportation of several Bangladeshis.

Momen instructed Bangladesh ambassadors to make sure that the service seekers are not mistreated in any way.

The foreign ministry will take stern actions if it is found that any employee of the Bangladesh missions shows negligence in duty and in providing services and lack courtesy in serving the people, the statement said.

He also asked the ambassadors to improve the quality of services, keep the hotline numbers open for 24 hours and promptly act on the problems and complaints by those seeking services.

"We don't want complaints that embassy staff don't attend phone calls or are unwilling to provide services," Momen told the ambassadors.