Ambassador Imran to return to Washington well before polls after home leave: FS

Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran is on home leave and he will return to Washington well ahead of the next national election, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said on Sunday.

Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Masud said all ambassadors are entitled to enjoy different kinds of leave including home leave, medical leave or emergency leave. "Or it can be for rejuvenating in a third place after, for example, one year of hard work."

Earlier a Bangla daily reported that Bangladesh ambassador to the USA Imran went on leave for an indefinite period. 

Regarding Ambassador Imran, the foreign secretary said he was granted leave and there is a limit for home leave which is not more than a month.

"But he has taken relatively a shorter period of leave; it was an old application," he said, adding that anyone in this world can remain connected from any place, any time.

Ambassadors are entitled to one month home leave after every two years of work, said the foreign secretary.

On 24 November, the foreign secretary briefed heads of missions (around 90) based in New Delhi on the recent political scenario and preparations for the next general election in Bangladesh.

Mentioning that the election is a "festive occasion in Bangladesh as we see it in many democratic countries," he told ambassadors that people of Bangladesh have been eagerly waiting to take part in the democratic process to vote and elect the representatives of their choice.

The Election Commission is committed to holding a free and fair election with participation of voters in a festive atmosphere, Masud told the diplomats in Delhi.

During his meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra at historic Hyderabad House in New Delhi, the two countries held "comprehensive discussions" on a wide range of issues covering border and security, trade, commerce and connectivity, cooperation in water, power and energy sectors, people to people ties and development cooperation.

Both sides also exchanged views on sub-regional, regional and multilateral issues at the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in New Delhi on Friday.

India has shown full confidence in Bangladesh's commitment to free, fair and peaceful elections in Bangladesh, said foreign secretary Masud in Dhaka.