Though there had been ‘no written official instruction as such’ from the ministry of foreign affairs for the removal of president Mohammed Shahabuddin’s portrait, Bangladesh missions abroad were maintaining a ‘policy of zero’ portrait for months, officials said on Sunday.
‘I can tell you, as such, there had been no written instructions from the headquarters. But you need to understand the signal,’ a senior diplomat stationed in a Bangladesh mission abroad told UNB wishing to remain unnamed.
He said that there were two aspects, following the changes in August 5, the portrait of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was removed.
And then there were Zoom meetings with heads of Missions in the following months connected by the ministry of foreign affairs, he said.
‘When we see no portrait at the ministry, it gives a signal. So, the portrait of the president was removed several months back,’ said the diplomat, adding that he thought most of the missions followed the same zero portrait policy months ago.
Talking to UNB, a senior official at the ministry of foreign affairs simply replied in the affirmative.
When pressed for further details regarding any recent instructions in any way, he added that as reported, verbally.
Meanwhile, environment, forest and climate change adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that the removal of the president’s photograph from Bangladesh’s missions abroad had no connection with the next national elections.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, she addressed recent media reports claiming that verbal instructions were issued to remove the president’s photo from all embassies.
Commenting on speculation that the president might be replaced and the chief justice appointed in his place, she said that such discussions were endless.