Dhaka orders to remove president’s portrait from overseas missions

The Government of Bangladesh has directed all of its diplomatic missions abroad to remove the official photograph of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The directive, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday (August 16), applies to all embassies, high commissions, consulates, and the official residences of diplomats stationed globally.

According to multiple diplomatic sources, the Ministry contacted each mission individually over phone to issue the instruction. Until now, portraits of President Mohammed Shahabuddin were prominently displayed in all official premises of Bangladesh’s foreign missions, as is customary in many countries. However, the latest order mandates their immediate removal.

As part of the implementation process, a lead ambassador has been appointed in each geographical region to oversee and confirm the removal of the President’s photo from their respective missions. The assigned ambassadors will be responsible for ensuring full compliance with the directive.

With this move, Bangladeshi diplomatic missions will no longer display the image of any head of state or government — marking a break from decades of tradition.

The decision has raised questions about the motivations behind the policy change, though no official explanation has been provided by the Foreign Ministry as of press time.