Two Press Ministers Appointed by Dr. Yunus Denied Entry to US and UK

Britt Reza, Senior Correspondent

Three months have passed since the appointment of two Press Ministers to the Bangladeshi embassies in Washington and London, but they have yet to assume their positions.

The appointees are Golam Mortoza, editor of the Bengali section of the English daily *The Daily Star* in Dhaka, assigned to the Washington embassy, and Akbar Hossain Majumdar, a former journalist at BBC Bengali, assigned to the London embassy.

Both are known as staunch supporters of Dr. Yunus’s interim government and the newly formed political party, the National Citizens’ Party (NCP).

Allegations have surfaced that these two journalists, along with several like-minded individuals, have played controversial roles beyond their professional duties in facilitating foreign-funded political changes in Bangladesh.

A diplomatic source in Dhaka revealed that appointments to foreign missions require prior approval from the host country. Diplomatic protocols dictate that the names and designations of appointees are sent to the respective countries for approval. Only after receiving this approval can the appointees assume their roles.

However, Golam Mortoza and Akbar Hossain have not received such approval, preventing them from taking up their positions.

Sources from the Ministry of Public Administration indicate that on October 30 last year, Nahid Islam, the then-advisor in charge of the Ministry of Information and current convener of the newly formed NCP, recommended Golam Mortoza for the position of Press Minister at the Bangladeshi embassy in Washington, USA.

On the same day, she also recommended Akbar Hossain Majumdar for the position of Press Minister at the Bangladeshi High Commission in London, UK. These recommendations led to the appointment process for the two journalists.

On November 19 last year, a notification signed by Abul Hayat Mohammad Rafiq, Deputy Secretary of the Contract and Foreign Appointment Branch of the Ministry of Public Administration, appointed Golam Mortoza as Press Minister at the embassy in Washington, USA, with the rank of Secretary, on a two-year contract starting from the date of joining.

On November 24, another notification appointed Akbar Hossain Majumdar as Press Minister at the High Commission in London, UK, under the same conditions and for the same duration. However, while Golam Mortoza was appointed with the rank of Secretary, Akbar Hossain was not.

A former diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that such appointments usually receive prompt approval from the host countries. Based on his experience, approvals typically arrive within one to two months, with a maximum delay of three months in exceptional cases. However, more than three and a half months have passed since these appointments, and the lack of approval is unusual.

In response to a question, the former diplomat said, “In most cases, the host country does not outright reject the approval. What they do is delay the process. However, such delays are not usually excessive. If the host country has specific ‘observations’ about the appointee, such delays can occur. Additionally, the diplomatic relationship between the two countries is also a factor.”

The former diplomat added, “Whatever the reason, it does not send a positive message for the country. If it’s the first reason, questions will arise about why we appointed such individuals. If it’s the second, it indicates that our diplomatic relations with influential countries like the US and the UK are not functioning at the desired level.”