The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has ordered the removal of President Md. Shahabuddin's portrait from all Bangladeshi diplomatic missions, consulates, diplomats' offices, and residences abroad.
This information has been confirmed by sources from several missions. However, diplomats said the directive was not issued through any official letter or e-mail. Instead, some regional ambassadors and high commissioners were verbally informed over the phone and were later asked to convey the instruction to other missions.
Envoys in South Asia, Africa, and Europe stated that they have not yet received any such order, while two heads of missions abroad confirmed that they have been instructed to remove the portraits.
Foreign ministry sources said that certain regional ambassadors and high commissioners have been tasked with implementing and supervising the removal.
A senior diplomat, requesting anonymity, confirmed that the government has instructed the removal of President Shahabuddin's portrait from missions, consulates, and diplomats’ offices and residences, both abroad and in Dhaka, but stressed that the directive was only communicated verbally.
He added that regional envoys were notified over the telephone and are now responsible for relaying the message and ensuring compliance. Another diplomat noted that the directive in his region was not communicated directly by their ambassador, but instead by an envoy from a nearby mission.
Meanwhile, a diplomat posted in a Southeast Asian country said, “It seems one of our colleagues received a call from a neighboring mission. However, we had already taken down the portrait months ago, as part of standard practice in missions and headquarters.”
