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Foreign Office

Major reshuffle in the offing

Rezaul Karim
Several important changes are expected to take place in the foreign ministry and its missions abroad.
Highly placed sources said Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes, who already completed his three-year tenure in that post, is likely to be appointed as an Agrade ambassador to a diplomatically important country.
As a position of a secretary is becoming vacant, several senior officials started hectic lobbying to get the vital post.
Competent sources said Bangladesh Ambassador in Berlin, Germany Mosud Mannan; Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN Offices Abdul Hannan; and some other top officials in other international organisations in Geneva and Vienna, are vying for the position.
The sources said government high-ups might finally choose Abdul Hannan as the next foreign secretary very soon.
Incumbent Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes might be appointed to Geneva, Australia or France. He is interested to become the permanent representative to UN in New York, which post is now being held by Dr AK Abdul Momen. It is unlikely that Momen will be replaced now, the sources said.
Quayes is alternatively trying to get an extension of his service as the foreign secretary, as most of the important ambassadorial posts are now being held by political appointees on contract, a source pointed out.
A highly placed source dismissed the possibility of giving extension to Quayes, as the government is not very happy with his performance in the past three years.
Meanwhile, the government finalised the appointment of former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain as the Bangladesh high commissioner to Pretoria, South Africa. The post of the high commissioner to Pretoria has been vacant for over a year.
Touhid has been serving as the principal of the Foreign Service Academy for more than three years. He was due to retire, but he will continue in the service as the government recently extended the service age from 57 to 59.
Besides, a number of other changes will take place in several Bangladesh missions in different countries.
Bangladesh High Commissioner in Canberra, Australia Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury is expected to be transferred to Myanmar. Ambassador to Yangoon Maj Gen Anup Kumar Chakma, who had been on deputation there, recently retired from the service.
Masud Bin Momen, ambassador of Bangladesh and permanent representative to FAO, IFAD and WFP in Rome, Italy is likely to be transferred to Tokyo, Japan. The post of the ambassador to Tokyo fell vacant following withdrawal of Majibur Rahman Bhuiyan from there in June last year.
Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to Unesco in Paris Md Enamul Kabir is likely to be transferred to Seoul while Ambassador in Seoul Md Shahidul Islam will be appointed to Paris.
Officials said proposals for several transfers and fresh appointments of ambassadors and high commissioners were already sent to the Prime Minister’s Office for approval.