Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, is set to be appointed as Bangladesh’s next ambassador to Denmark. The government has already sent a formal request for approval (agréé) to Copenhagen, and is now awaiting clearance.
Meanwhile, the interim government is reportedly seeking to appoint Lamia Morshed, SDG envoy to the Chief Adviser, and special international affairs envoy Lutfe Siddiqui and his sister Husna Siddiqui as ambassadors.
These proposed appointments have sparked considerable debate within Segunbagicha. Observers note that the nominees’ qualifications are not in question — they hold both domestic and international degrees, have held senior positions, received generous salaries, and have established familial and social standing. Many have benefited from the interim government’s privileges over the years and continue to do so.
Critics ask why, after all this, these individuals seek ambassadorial roles, particularly when professional diplomats — who meet all the necessary criteria and await some of the most prestigious postings in their careers — are sidelined. In specialised fields like diplomacy, only 30% of appointments are available to non-career diplomats, with the remainder reserved for military, civil service, or politically selected candidates.
Senior diplomats argue that such appointments exacerbate existing inequalities within the Foreign Ministry. “Most of the proposed ambassadors have long enjoyed privileges,” one senior official said. “Now they want to claim even more.” He questioned whether the sacrifices made in past struggles were truly in vain if such appointments are granted.
Apart from Copenhagen, ambassadorial and high commissioner posts will soon be vacant in Singapore, The Hague, Thimphu, Yangon, and Tehran. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that, while discussions have taken place at policy level, no formal paperwork has been initiated, and no agréé has been issued.
Dr Khan’s appointment process is nearly complete, with only Copenhagen’s green light pending. It is expected to take one to three months to receive formal approval.
Questions have also been raised about Lutfe Siddiqui and his sister Husna being considered for ambassadorial roles simultaneously. Lutfe, the son of former police IG A.Y.B.I. Siddiqui, and his sister, a technology executive at KPMG International Services in Amsterdam, wish to represent Bangladesh from the Netherlands. Lutfe reportedly prefers Singapore as his posting, while Lamia Morshed’s preference is Europe, though no vacancies exist there. Friends of Lamia suggest that her influence, particularly through Dr Muhammad Yunus, could secure a European posting.