Chief Adviser Professor Dr Mohammed Yunus will have a daunting task to give some postings of Bangladesh diplomats, particularly in New Delhi, Washington DC and London against  the backdrop of new political environment in Bangladesh  and re-engagement of multilateral relations with regional and world economic powers, said diplomats, policy-makers and business leaders.

In the changed environment, the Bangladesh diplomat who will be posted in New Delhi will have to work maintaining warm relations with the Indian stakeholders to serve the interest of the country, sources in Dhaka and New Delhi said.

Diplomats who have worked both in New Delhi and in Dhaka said Indian politicians, policy makers, business leaders, media personalities and scholars have new narratives about the student revolution in Bangladesh.

The new Bangladesh high commissioner will have a herculean task to deal with the India stakeholders like water sharing, border killings, transit and transshipment, trade gap, geo-political interest and protection of minorities. Sheikh Hasina, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and later turned into a brutal dictator, had been a trusted and reliable partner of the India government during January 7, 2009-August 5, 2024.

The end of Sheikh Hasina’s regime has been a major shock to the Indian government, and the policymakers, and Dhaka will nurture relations with New Delhi meticulously to reach the ties in the coming days on a win–win basis, a Bangladesh diplomat in Dhaka. Sheikh Hasina had tried to meet the Indian interest during her tenure to retain power and even sometimes overlooked the interest of the country, complained a number of diplomats.

The Nobel laureate and Chief Adviser Professor Dr Mohammed Yunus and Foreign Adviser Tauhid Hossain on several occasions have given clear message to India that Dhaka will stand by the interest of Bangladesh on several issues water sharing, border killings, transit and transshipment, trade and geo-political interest that Sheikh Hasina sometimes overlooked in the past, sources said.

Sheikh Hasina, the brutal dictator Prime Minister of Bangladesh, used Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on personal ground on some occasions that resulted in poor diplomacy damaging reputation of Bangladesh, sources said.

The political posting of diplomats without skill and professionalism in Bangladesh missions abroad in the past stood  in the way of getting the best service that the country expected, said policymakers and diplomats.

With political change on August 5, 2024, the Bangladesh government has recalled some diplomats serving the missions of Berlin, Tokyo and Jeddah, and return to the country, leaving that posts vacant.

President of Bangladesh Foreign Service Association (BFSA) Dr Md  Nazrul Islam in a proposal to Foreign Adviser  Mr. Md. Touhid Hossain demanded political postings to Bangladesh missions should be reduced to the level of 5-10 percent of the total posting.

Former Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Humayun Kabir while talking to this correspondent said that the government should give postings in some important positions like New Delhi, Washington DC, NY, Brussels, and London on the basis of professionalism and skill  with a view to getting the best service.

Humayun Kabir, a freedom fighter and a former career diplomat, said that India and the USA are two strategic, trading and development partners of Bangladesh and the new interim government should give posting on the basis of professionalism and skill.

Sources said the government does give 30 percent of total postings in Bangladesh missions abroad on the political ground with rest posts being filled by the career diplomats. The economy of Bangladesh has been left in derailed conditions by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In terms of cumulative FDI over the last 50 years, the USA still holds the top position in Bangladesh.

The USA is the single largest destination of Bangladeshi goods holding the top position in terms of FDI.  In the changed environment, Dhaka will maintain special relations with Washington also, said a diplomat.   

India is an important trading and strategical partner of Bangladesh and the proper nursing of relations with neighboring  countries is also crucial , said  a former Bangladesh diplomat.

Sheikh Hasina, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and later turned into a brutal dictator, had been a trusted and reliable partner of the India government during January 7, 2009-August 5, 2024. The end of Sheikh Hasina’s regime has been a major shock to the Indian government, and the policymakers, and Dhaka will nurture relations with New Delhi meticulously to reach the ties in the coming days on a win–win basis, a Bangladesh diplomat in Dhaka.

Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Bangladesh Ambassador to USA Dr Muhammad Imran, Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium Mahbub Hassan Saleh, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Australia M Allama Siddiki, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Dr Md. Mustafizur Rahman, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Bangladesh Ambassador to Kuwait  Major General Syed Tareq Hussain and Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Rezina Ahmed are expected to return to Dhaka this year.

However, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) President Ambassador M. Humayun Kabir, Mohammad Sufiur Rahman---- a career diplomat of the 9th batch of BCS (Foreign Affairs Cadre, President of the Bangladesh Institute for Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) Major General Muniruzzaman (Ret.), Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, former chairman of the international relations of the Dhaka University and former chairman of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTB) Zahir Uddin Ahmed are some of suggested names out of in-service to be posted in New Delhi as high commissioner.

Dr Muhammad Imran, a career diplomat, has been serving the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi since 2020. His contract was renewed by the previous Bangladesh Awami League in 2022.

Ahmed Tariq Karim with the status of State Minister had served the Bangladesh high commission to India as high commissioner during 2009-2024. He also served as Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States in 2001. He had joined the then Pakistan Foreign Service as an officer in 1967 and retired from Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1998.

Syed Muazzem Ali with the status of State Minister had served Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi as high commissioner during 2014 to 2019. Muazzem, a career diplomat, served as ambassador of Bangladesh to Bhutan, Iran and France.

Riaz Hamidullah, Asad Alam Siam and Khondoker Mohammad Talha, (career diplomats of the 15th BCS Foreign Service Cadre,) are tipped among top diplomats in-service to serve the Bangladesh mission in New Delhi, Washington DC, London and Brussels, sources said.

Meanwhile, Syed Masud Mahmood Khundoker, Additional Foreign Secretary and a career diplomat of the 10th BCS Foreign Service Cadre, Md Nazrul Islam, a career diplomat of the 15th BCS Foreign Service Cadre and now serving Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar, Md. Daud Ali, a career diplomat of the 15th BCS Foreign Service Cadre and currently serving  Bangladesh Ambassador to Romania, Naureen Ahsan, Additional Foreign Secretary and a career diplomat of the 15th BCS Foreign Service Cadre, Abida Islam, a career diplomat of the 15th BCS Foreign Service Cadre and now serving Bangladesh Ambassador to Mexico and Md Nazmul Islam, a career diplomat of the 15th BCS Foreign Service Cadre and now Bangladesh Ambassador to Oman can serve the Bangladesh mission in Brussels, London, Washington DC, Beijing, Tokyo, Berlin, Riyadh and NY Permanent Missions, sources said.  

Meanwhile, Tauhedul Islam, a career diplomat of the 17th BCS Foreign Service Cadre and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,  Mohammad Zulqar Nain, a career diplomat of the 17th BCS Foreign Service Cadre, Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, a career diplomat of the 17th BCS Foreign Service Cadre, Salauddin Noman Chowdhury , a career diplomat of the 17th BCS Foreign Service Cadre, Masudur Rahman,  a career diplomat of the 17th BCS Foreign Service Cadre and now serving Bangladesh Ambassador to Nigeria, Faisal Ahmed, Shahnaz Gazi, Tareq Ahmed, Md Rais Hasan Sarowar and Mohammad Khorshed Alam (career diplomats of the 20th BCS Foreign Service Cadre are competent diplomats to serve Bangladesh mission abroad.

As some very important posts of Bangladesh missions abroad are going to be vacant, the interim government has a major challenge to give posting of new diplomats based on merit, experience, talent, skill, and most importantly expectation of Dr Mohammad Yunus who has a vision to turn Bangladesh into secular, prosperous, progressive and human country, said diplomats, policy makers and business leaders.