The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reportedly ordered all Bangladeshi diplomatic missions abroad to remove the photo of President Md. Shahabuddin from their offices, consulates, and residences. The order was communicated over the phone to ambassadors and high commissioners, but no official written notice has been issued yet.
Verbal Instructions to Remove President’s Photo
According to multiple sources in Bangladesh’s foreign missions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed that President Md. Shahabuddin’s photo be removed from embassies, consulates, diplomatic offices, and residences of diplomats.
However, this instruction was not sent through any official letter or email. Instead, it was communicated verbally via telephone to a few ambassadors and high commissioners, who were then told to pass on the order to other missions under their regions.
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Some Missions Have Not Received the Order Yet
Reports from missions in South Asia, Africa, and Europe suggest that not all diplomats have received the directive yet. But at least two heads of missions confirmed that they were informed by the government about this matter.
Diplomat Confirms Verbal Instructions
One senior diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:
Bangla: “ঢাকা থেকে কূটনৈতিক মিশন, কনস্যুলেট, দপ্তর ও বাসভবন থেকে রাষ্ট্রপতির ছবি সরানোর কথা জানানো হয়েছে। এটি লিখিত নয়, শুধু টেলিফোনে এসেছে। অঞ্চলভিত্তিক কয়েকজন দূত বিষয়টি অন্য মিশনে জানাচ্ছেন এবং বাস্তবায়ন তদারক করছেন।”
Translation: “Dhaka has informed us to remove the President’s photo from diplomatic missions, consulates, offices, and residences. This was not in writing, only by phone. Some regional envoys are passing the message to other missions and monitoring its implementation.”
Confusion Among Diplomats
Another diplomat explained that the order was not delivered directly to them, but through nearby missions:
Bangla: “আমাদের অঞ্চলের দায়িত্বপ্রাপ্ত রাষ্ট্রদূত সরাসরি কিছু বলেননি। তবে কাছাকাছি একটি মিশন থেকে এক রাষ্ট্রদূত আমাদের নির্দেশনার কথা জানিয়েছেন।”
Translation: “The ambassador responsible for our region has not said anything directly. But one ambassador from a nearby mission has informed us about the instructions.”
Current Situation
While some diplomats have already started implementing the order, others are still waiting for clear instructions. The absence of a written directive has created some uncertainty, but the verbal order is gradually being spread across Bangladesh’s foreign missions worldwide.
Source: Jamuna TV
