Bangladesh ambassador to Japan asked to stay in Dhaka during PM's visit

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Md Daud Ali has returned to Dhaka ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's scheduled official visit to Tokyo from 26 to 29 October, raising questions about his absence from preparations for the trip.

AKM Shahidul Karim, director general of the ministry's Public Diplomacy Wing, confirmed to TBS that the ambassador has been asked to return and stay in Dhaka.

Daud is now in Dhaka but the reasons behind his return could not be ascertained.

Dr Md Nazrul Islam, secretary (Bilateral – East and West) to the foreign affairs ministry, has been sent to Tokyo to coordinate preparations for the visit, according to a diplomatic source.

Nazrul has held a meeting with officials of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, the source said.

The ambassador's presence in Dhaka shortly before the high-level visit has raised questions about whether he has been formally recalled from his diplomatic posting or is in the capital for routine consultations, reports UNB.

Daud assumed office as Bangladesh's ambassador to Japan on 12 December 2024, after serving as the country's ambassador to Romania.

He had also served as director general (Consular and Welfare) at the ministry and held various positions at the ministry's headquarters.

A career foreign service officer from the 15th batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service Foreign Affairs cadre, he served at Bangladesh missions in Tokyo, Pretoria and London.

He also served as consul general at the Bangladesh Consulate in Kunming, China.

Daud holds a master's degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Rajshahi.