The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed seven of its envoys posted overseas, including those in United States and Russia, to return to the country immediately. These envoys were on contractual postings and had been appointed by the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led government.
The envoys who have been recalled include Ambassador Mohammad Imran in Washington, Ambassador Javed Patwary in Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Kamrul Hasan in Russia, Ambassador Shahabuddin Ahmed in Japan, Ambassador Abu Zafar in the UAE, Ambassador Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan in Germany, and High Commissioner Rear Admiral SM Abul Kalam Azad in the Maldives, Bangladeshi news website Dhaka Tribune reported.
The foreign ministry had served a seperate notice to each of these envoys, asking them to relinquish their current responsibilities and promptly report back to the headquarters in Dhaka.
Besides these seven envoys, five other officials who were posted or contract or deputation abroad were instructed to return home.
The five other officials who were ordered to return are: Wahiduzzaman Noor and Arifa Rahman Ruma, First Secretary and Counsellor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington; Aparna Rani Pal and Mobashira Farzana Mithila, Counsellors at the Bangladesh Embassy in Ottawa; and Asib Uddin Ahmed, Third Secretary at the Bangladesh consulate in New York, the report noted.
These recall orders came as the interim government led by Prof. Muhammad Yunus is looking forward to making administrative reshuflles in various ministries.
In another major development in Dhaka, the International Crimes Tribunal has started the probe against former PM Hasina and nine others on charges of "genocide" and "crimes against humanity" that took place during students' anti-government protests between July 15 to August 5.
Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia's BNP party has been calling for the arrest and trial of Hasina and her accomplices for the violence the country witnessed during the protests.
The student-led protests demanding reforms in government job quotas had turned into a government-toppling movement in early August, which led to Hasina's ouster.
Following her reisgnation, Hasina fled Bangladesh and a new interim government was formed on August 8. Nobel laureate Yunus was sworn in as its head along with 16 other advisers by President Mohammed Shahabuddin.