2 Bangladesh Diplomats In India Suspended By Muhammad Yunus Government

New Delhi: Two Bangladeshi diplomats serving in India were dismissed from their duties following an order from the interim government of Bangladesh. Shaban Mahmud, serving as First Secretary (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi was asked to resign before the end of his contract. Similarly, Ranjan Sen, serving in the same capacity at the Bangladeshi consulate in Kolkata, was also dismissed from his duties.

The interim government of Bangladesh, headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, was established amid a volatile political landscape that saw mass protests and violence resulting in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

On August 5, Ms Hasina, aged 76, fled Bangladesh by helicopter to India as protesters overran the streets of Dhaka. Her 15-year rule, marked by allegations of human rights abuses, came to a dramatic end. The weeks leading up to her ousting were bloody, with more than 450 dying during the unrest.

Despite Ms Hasina’s escape to India, Mr Yunus has maintained that his government would continue to foster friendly relations with everyone. 

“We will maintain friendly relations with all countries,” he said in a televised address yesterday. 

In his message to the international community earlier this month, Mr Yunus called for continued support in rebuilding Bangladesh and transitioning to a fully functional democracy. He assured the diplomats that Bangladesh would maintain its role as a proponent of multilateralism, with the United Nations at the core of its foreign policy.