Permanent representative to UN to be replaced
HUMAYUN KABIR BHUIYAN
The government has taken a decision to replace Bangladeshs Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Dr AK Abdul Momen, who has been in charge there for nearly six years.
According to sources at the Foreign Ministry, a career diplomat, who is now serving as Ambassador in an important Asian country, will take the top position of the Mission at UN sometime after October.
Appointed by the Awami League-led government, Dr Momen, a younger brother of Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, joined the Bangladeshs Permanent Mission in New York on August 26, 2009 on a two-year contract, replacing Ismat Jahan, currently serving as Ambassador to Belgium as well as the Head of Mission to the European Union.
After the expiry of the initial two-year contract, the government had extended it a few times and the contract is now due to expire at the end of this month, the sources told The Independent.
A proposal was recently made to extend Dr Momens contract by another year, but the policy makers decided against it, they said.
Instead, said the sources, keeping in mind the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New York from September 25 to 30 to attend the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) summit to adopt the goals, Dr Momens contract was renewed till the end of October.
Welcoming the governments decision to appoint a career diplomat, an official of the foreign ministry said, If its true, its definitely a good news.
He (Dr Momen) is already the longest serving permanent representative at the Bangladeshs Missions in UN. The replacement is a welcome move. From time to time, the foreign ministry finds it difficult to work with him on various issues, said another official.
On a number of occasions, we have seen him showing less regard to the foreign ministry. Since he was a political appointee and close to the Prime Ministers Office, it is very difficult to handle him, noted another official, adding that it is good that the mission will now be headed by a career diplomat.
According to the officials, Dr Momen and the foreign ministry have not been enjoying the best of the relationships and there are allegations that the Permanent Representative has not regularly sent reports to the ministry.
There have been instances where he has bypassed the Foreign Ministry, they said.
The officials also said that there is a convention that 70 per cent of the Ambassadorial positions are reserved for the officers of the Foreign Service Cadre while the remaining 30 per cent can be filled up by officers from other cadres and political appointment.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to speak at the SDG summit at the UN headquarters on September 25, said the officials.
She is also scheduled to address the 70th session of UNGA on September 30, they said.
On the sidelines, the prime minister is expected to meet some Heads of State and Government, said the officials.
We are still working on it. Nothing has yet been finalised, said a senior official.
