Foreign office awaits major shake-up

A major shake-up is underway in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a new foreign secretary taking over soon and a number of new ambassadors and high commissioners being appointed, highly placed sources said.
Some of the new envoys are getting contractual appointments. Several diplomats seeking anonymity however said this might demoralise the serving career diplomats, while others feel that there is a shortage of experienced diplomats now in the foreign service.
Incidentally, the ruling Awami League (AL) while in power in the past had discouraged contractual appointments. However, over the last two decades, 30 percent of diplomatic positions were filled up by qualified personnel appointed on contract.
Mijarul Quayes is taking over shortly as foreign secretary. Quayes passed from the National Defence College and holds an ndc degree. After serving as high commissioner to the Maldives, he is now ambassador to Russia.
Sources said the government has decided to remove incumbent Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain, and is likely to appoint him principal of the Foreign Service Academy.
Touhid, who was promoted to this position during the previous caretaker government’s tenure, seeks posting in Washington as ambassador, the sources said.
Humayun Kabir, presently Bangladesh ambassador in Washington, has been called back. He is due to retire in September. Sources said Kabir is lobbying for an extension of service, and even if he gets it, he may be sent to Canada.
Two others, who have been short-listed for the post of ambassador in Washington, are former envoy Akramul Kader and former foreign secretary Syed Muazzem Ali. One source said yesterday Kader might get the post.
Former ambassador to US Ahmed Tariq Karim is due to succeed High Commissioner to India Liaquat Ali Chowdhury, who will retire. Tariq retired from foreign service and was appointed on contract ambassador in Washington during the tenure of the previous AL government. He held the post for a short period.
Sources said Karim will go to India on a two-year contract that has been almost finalised.
Gyashuddin, who served as a junior diplomat in Bangldesh High Commission in UK during the previous AL government’s tenure, is getting contractual appointment as ambassador to Germany.
Career diplomats, who are getting new posting as envoy, include AKM Atiqur Rahman and Supradip Chakma. Atiqur Rahman, now envoy to Bhutan, is tipped to be high commissioner to Malaysia, and Supradip is to be envoy to Vietnam. Besides, Imtiaz Ahmed, now envoy to Nepal, is moving to Sweden as envoy.
Besides, MAK Mahmood, who recently served as an additional secretary (UNCLOS, Research & ICT), has been made OSD. Sources said Mahmood was trying to become foreign secretary.
Ismat Jahan, ambassador and permanent representative to Bangladesh Mission in New York, is yet to move out to Brussels, where she has been posted five months back.
Sources said the government is looking for a competent person for posting in New York. Since there is a shortage of serving diplomats, it may go for political appointment.
Meanwhile, two diplomats are still at large or ‘missing’. They are former high commissioner to Malaysia Maj (rtd) Khairuzzaman, who has refused to return home on recall order, and Brig Gen Chowdhury Fazlul Bari, posted as defence adviser in the embassy in Washington. The latter has reportedly asked for asylum in US but this could not be confirmed.
And Yasmeen Murshed, high commissioner to Pakistan, who was appointed on contract during the previous caretaker government’s tenure, may be asked to return home shortly, sources said.
The government has recalled Ambassador to the Maldives Selina Mohsin.

Courtesy of The Daily Star