The Foreign Ministry has taken a tough stance against the Bangladeshi diplomats who are responsible for tarnishing the image of the country.
“No diplomat will be spared who damages the reputation of the country,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam told the Dhaka Tribune.
The ministry had to recall a number of ambassadors in recent times as allegations of serious misconduct were emerged against them. “That is not the end. Just wait and see,” the junior minister said.
He said many alleged that no action was taken against the diplomats who are corrupt or showed indecent behaviour. “But the ministry is now committed to take drastic actions against the bad apples.”
Shahriar said the ministry would seek clarification from Bangladesh Ambassador to Manila, John Gomes, for inviting the Israeli ambassador to Manila to a dinner in July.
“If he is proven guilty by inviting an ambassador of a country with which Bangladesh has no diplomatic relations, he will be punished,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh ambassador to Greece Golam Mohammad, who was recalled recently as a probe found him guilty of assaulting a Bangladeshi-origin Greek, has reportedly sought one more month to return to Dhaka.
Following the allegation, a Foreign Ministry team led by Maritime Unit Affairs Secretary Md Khurshed Alam visited Athens and found him guilty.
In recent years, at least four ambassadors were recalled.
In July, the foreign ministry recalled Bangladesh Ambassador to Lebanon AFM Gousul Azam Sarker due to his failure to run the mission properly.
“He was even summoned by the Lebanese foreign minister to explain his behaviour,” said another Foreign Ministry official. If he had not been recalled, he would have been declared persona non grata, he added.
The ministry also recalled Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan AKM Majibur Rahman Bhuiyan as a Japanese woman working at its Tokyo mission alleged that she had been sexually harassed by the ambassador.
Former Bangladesh ambassador to Uzbekistan Hasib Aziz was sent to forced retirement as he had married a foreign woman without the consent of the president of Bangladesh.
Former Bangladesh ambassador to the Philippines Majeda Rafiq Unnesa was recalled after massive financial irregularities was found in the Manila mission. She is now facing charges by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Md Shamsul Haque was also involved in financial irregularities while serving as Bangladesh Consul General of New York. He is also facing charges by the ACC.