Foreign Ministry Directs Removal of President's Photos from Missions Abroad

Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed all diplomatic missions, consulates, and the offices and residences of diplomats abroad to remove photos of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Sources from several missions abroad have confirmed this information.

According to diplomatic sources at a few of these missions, the directive was not sent via a formal letter or email. Instead, a few regional ambassadors and high commissioners were informed over the telephone and were then asked to pass the information on to other missions.

Speaking with envoys from several missions in South Asia, Africa, and Europe, it was revealed that they have not yet received the directive to remove the President's photo. However, two heads of missions abroad have confirmed that they have received the government's instructions.

According to a Foreign Ministry source, a few regional ambassadors and high commissioners were instructed to remove President Mohammed Shahabuddin's photos from their diplomatic missions, consulates, and the offices and residences of diplomats.

A responsible diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that instructions have been given from Dhaka to remove President Mohammed Shahabuddin's photos from diplomatic missions, consulates, and the offices and residences of diplomats. This was not communicated via a formal letter or email.

He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed a few regional envoys of this government directive by telephone, and those envoys are now informing the other missions. They will also be responsible for monitoring the removal of the photos.

Another diplomat said, "The ambassador who was given the responsibility in our region did not inform us directly. An ambassador from a nearby mission informed us about this directive on his behalf."

A diplomat working in a Southeast Asian country said, "I think one of our colleagues received a call from a neighboring mission. But we already took care of this a few months ago. This is consistent with what was done at the missions abroad and at headquarters."