Diplomatic party
Last week we heard some noises in the media on a trifling issue. The row was over an attendance of an acting Secretary General of a political party in a dinner hosted by a foreign ambassador in Dhaka.
Diplomatic parties in Dhaka are a lucrative and politically important venue for our leaders. We know, our leaders hardly miss such opportunities if invitation comes in time, irrespective of what their party line is.
We could know the reason later while the leader himself was defending his position. He was forbidden to attend such parties where his counterpart leader of a particular political party would be present. In that iftar party one of the leaders of that “forbidden” party was present. So it was a violation of his party position which created a little noise.
I am not a diplomat but have some diplomat friends. I had an opportunity to stay in a foreign country where there was a Bangladesh mission. I have seen and attended as a national of my country some parties hosted by our diplomats there. Except a national day reception I did not see a minister attending any party hosted in the embassy premises by our High Commissioner/Ambassador. Here in Bangladesh we see our ministers, secretaries, high officials, top political leaders flocking to diplomatic parties hosted by foreign diplomats in their residences, no matter who are the hosts. Sometimes they break the diplomatic norms and attend, if invited, I feel just to be seen handshaking with a foreign diplomat. Maybe, in some cases, they require to attend to have an idea of what to do or say about the ongoing developments in the political landscape.
So far my knowledge goes, in many countries permission is required from their respective department or ministry of foreign affairs if a high official is invited to a diplomatic party. I don't know whether there is any such rule in our country too. I believe for the sake of our country's prestige, there should be such rules to restrict some people who cannot maintain a minimum diplomatic decorum.
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