Ambassador goes to Canada ignoring order to return Dhaka

The government ordered Bangladesh ambassador in Morocco Harun Al-Rashid to return to Dhaka “immediately” on 11 December last year and join the foreign ministry. But he went to Canada ignoring the order of the interim government.

From there he has posted a status on his Facebook wall criticising the interim government on Friday.

Harun Al-Rashid has written, “A Plea for Bangladesh—and for Myself. Subject: Bangladesh’s Descent into Anarchy under Yunus - The World’s Silence Is Painful”.

This professional ambassador has written, “On August 5, 2024, the nation experienced one of its darkest hours—a meticulously coordinated terrorist onslaught that shattered its foundations by overthrowing the legitimate government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As the country burned and order collapsed, Muhammad Yunus emerged as the usurper.”

The interim government has finally decided to take actions against the ambassador who claimed himself a “persecuted Bangladeshi diplomat”, who went to another country ignoring the official order of the government.

In a notification, the foreign ministry on Friday evening spoke about taking necessary actions to cancel the passports of the ambassador and his family. The ministry has also said about taking departmental actions against him.

Several former ambassadors termed Harun Al-Rashid’s decision to ignore the government order and go to another country as unforeseen.

Several former ambassadors also said the foreign ministry did not do anything for the last three months after asking him to return to the country.

They also asked whether the ministry investigated where he was in the last two and a half months leaving Morocco; and whether he took leave to go to Canada.

According to them, the foreign ministry could not avoid its responsibilities in this regard.

The former ambassadors said the action of the foreign ministry was too late.

The foreign ministry notification said immediate past Bangladesh ambassador in Morocco Harun Al-Rashid posted a status on his Facebook wall, where he praised the previous fascist government, and tried to portray that the post-5 August situation in Bangladesh under the interim government has been gradually becoming chaotic.

He also tried to damage the overall image of the country including several attempts by the interim government and chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, it added.

The foreign ministry further said such a writing on Facebook portraying the current situation in Bangladesh under the leadership of the chief adviser in a completely deformed way is completely unacceptable and deeply concerning. Such a writing hints at the ulterior motive of the writer.

The former ambassador went to Canada and identified himself in his Facebook as a “persecuted diplomat”, “exiled novelist” and “secular”, which are nothing but attempts to draw sympathy from abroad.

The foreign ministry has already taken necessary actions to cancel the passports of his and his family members. The ministry also will take departmental actions for such an action of Harun Al-Rashid.

The foreign ministry has further said it would never entertain such actions of the ministry’s officials and employees in the future and will take stern actions against them for any such acts.