BD missions in Europe gruel kitchens for defecting AL workers

Representation of Bangladesh should in no way differ from what is decided in Dhaka.

The Bangladesh missions are being used as safe santuaries of AL workers who defected the country fearing reprisals for their misdeeds committed during the nearly 16 years of their party rule.

Diplomats, officers and employees running these missions are all posted by the erstwhile government which was deposed on 05 August last year through a mass upsurge.

The Interim Government of Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus is relying on the old set ups in the embassies as it has yet to find suitable replacements in key positions in these missions.

Residents in different European countries complain that these missions locally hire services of incompetent people when required on the basis of party lineages instead of inviting competent ones as they are more interested to use establishments as shelters for defected political workers.

Thus although there has been a political change in the country with a neutral government taking charge, Bangladesh's diplomatic missions in Europe remain exclusive preserves of Awami League workers.

What's worse the diplomats in charge are spreading veiled propaganda against the government and the country they serve. Such works of treason have become easy because the last government in its nearly 16 years in office has left a veritable one-party system in the diplomatic service.

The early the Interim Government brings balance in the service by taking appropriate measures like restoring the politically retrenched or sacked or force retired people back to the service the better. The diplomatic or foreign service of the country should not remain an exclusive preserve of people of a particular politcal party.

Monowar Hossain

Berlin, Germany