Khastagir appointment as Bangladesh ambassador to Poland cancelled

The government has revoked the appointment of Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khastagir as the country’s next Ambassador to Poland, citing his controversial involvement during the student-led mass protests in July and August this year.

Foreign ministry’s Public Diplomacy wing director general Toufique Hasan confirmed the decision to BSS on Sunday evening.

Khastagir, a career diplomat, will remain in his current role as Minister (Political) and Deputy High Commissioner at the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he has served since October 2020, he said.

On 25 September, the government had announced Khastagir’s appointment as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Poland. However, his alleged role during the recent unrest has led to the cancellation of that appointment.

Khastagir joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 2001 as part of the 20th batch of the BCS (Foreign Affairs) cadre.

His diplomatic career includes key postings, such as First Secretary at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (2008-2010) and Charge d’Affaires at the Bangladesh Embassy in Muscat, Oman (2011-2014).

He also served as Director and later Director General of the Europe and EU Wing and International Organisations Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2015-2019).