Foreign Ministry clarifies issue surrounding opposition leader’s letter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official statement regarding media reports about a letter written by the opposition leader to the foreign minister. The statement was released on Wednesday, March 11.

According to the statement, on February 22, Dr. Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan, acting as the foreign affairs adviser to the opposition leader, sent a letter to the foreign minister via email on behalf of the opposition leader. Later, he personally handed over the same letter to the foreign minister.

The letter, written on the pad of the Jatiya Sangsad, recommended appointing Dr. Hasan to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an adviser or with ministerial rank in his capacity as the opposition leader’s foreign affairs adviser. It mentioned his skills, professional experience and prudence, and requested that he be entrusted with responsibilities to help advance the country’s foreign policy. The letter bears only the signature of the opposition leader.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the full text of the letter would be made public if written consent is given by the opposition leader.

Meanwhile, a report published in a national daily claimed that the matter had been discussed directly over the phone between leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the foreign minister, and that the party’s ameer was not aware of the letter.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clearly stated that no such phone conversation took place.