Bangladesh mission in Islamabad removes President Shahabuddin’s portrait

ISLAMABAD: The portrait of President Mohammed Shahabuddin has been removed from the Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad on the instructions of its government.

The Bangladesh government earlier ordered all its missions abroad to remove the picture of the President, who was elected by the ousted government of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. The government was removed by the people of that country in August last year and the Awami League has been banned. Hasina fled to India and is living in an Indian garrison since then.

Bangladesh High Commissioner in Islamabad Muhammad Iqbal Hussain Khan, when asked about the action Sunday late evening, parried the query.

Diplomatic sources told The News here that the decision to remove the portraits has been taken after lengthy discussions by the government in Dhaka.

The Bangladesh foreign ministry has issued no formal order or explanation on account of action/decision. According to media reports at a briefing on Sunday evening, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam declined to comment when asked about it, while ministry spokesperson Shah Asif Rahman also sidestepped questions.

Senior officers, however, said that after the Aug 5, 2024, change of government, most embassies abroad had already taken down portraits of the president and deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, alongside images of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Those missions that still displayed them were told by phone on Saturday to remove them as well. Asking not to be named, a senior officer said the Constitution mandates displaying Bangabandhu’s portrait, but photos of presidents and prime ministers were only a “tradition”. The new policy was that no one else’s photos would be displayed.

Bangladesh Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan acknowledged the move, but said it had no link to elections, which are scheduled to be held in February next year.