The government on Monday appointed journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey as an ambassador of Bangladesh mission abroad with the rank of senior secretary for three years. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification in this regard. According to the notification, Ansarey was appointed on the condition of severing all ties with any profession, business, government or semi-government organization for three years from the day of joining. However, it has not be known yet in which country he will work as Bangladesh ambassador. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon issue an order regarding his specific posting. Ansarey returned to the country Bangladesh from the US on September 12 after nearly a decade in exile. He is a Washington DC-based Bangladeshi journalist well known for asking questions at the press briefings of the United States Department of State. He is the Executive Editor for the Washington based foreign policy magazine, South Asia Perspectives (SAP). Read: Ansarey warns against conspiracies to foil the fruits of mass uprising He is working for JustNewsBD as Editor and White House Correspondent, covering the UN, US State Department, and Pentagon. He is also the Executive Director at Right to Freedom - R2F, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C, USA. He is a permanent correspondent of the United Nation headquarters. He worked as Assistant Press Secretary (2001-2006) to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia; Diplomatic Correspondent of the oldest Bengali daily- Ittefaq. Ansarey hosted a popular TV show at the NTV, titled Hello Excellency. Around sixty ambassadors and foreign dignitaries participated the show.

Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions, a subsidiary of Tahakom, a PIF company, has announced the formal launch of the Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka. Essa Al Duhlain, Ambassador of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh, inaugurated the centre at Jamuna Future Park in the capital. Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed, Consul General of  Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Dhaka  Meshari Al Thaebi,  Programme Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the KSA Fahad Abothnain, and CEO of Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions Fahad Al Amoud were present. Read More: Saudi Arabia arrests several Bangladeshis in clampdown on illegal visa trade The Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka will provide several facilities to applicants, local governments, Saudi government, the Saudi Embassy, and the broader community, said a media release on Tuesday. The centre will provide a streamlined and efficient process for visa applications, reducing wait times and improving the overall visa application experience, it said. This initiative will also provide a boost to tourism and business in Saudi Arabia, thereby contributing to the economic growth of the country. Currently, the centre is accepting applications for tourism, business, family visit and other categories of visit visas, and the process for submission of work visas will commence shortly. Read More: Romania likely to issue visas to more than 15,000 Bangladeshis during March-September Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions operates Saudi Visa Service Centres in 33 countries under the brand name Tasheer. The centres are operated in partnership with VFS Global, world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist serving 67 client governments in 145 countries. Speaking on the occasion, Fahad Sulaiman Al Amoud, CEO of Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions, expressed his gratitude to the Ambassador and the Government of Bangladesh for their support and guidance in starting the Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka. He also mentioned that the centre contributes to Vision 2030 of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Bin Salman, towards attracting tourism and business to Saudi Arabia. Read More: Indian Visa Application Centre at JFP launches Visa Application Facilitation Centre  The launch of the Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka is a significant step towards realizing the goals of Vision 2030. By making it easier for Bangladeshi citizens and residents to obtain visas for Saudi Arabia, the centre is helping to attract more tourists and business visitors to the country, creating new opportunities for economic growth and development in Saudi Arabia, and strengthening the ties between the Kingdom and other countries around the world. Al Amoud expressed his commitment to supporting the country's efforts to diversify its economy and build a more sustainable future for all. "We are honored to be a part of the vision and mission of Saudi Arabia's leadership," he said. "We thank the leadership of Saudi Arabia for their vision, guidance, and support, and we look forward to working closely with them to achieve our shared goals."  Al Almoud also shared the future plans of setting up an additional Saudi Visa Service Centre in Bangladesh to cater to the growing demand of travel of workers and visitors from Bangladesh to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Read More: Bangladesh seeks ease of visa process, investment from Guatemala

Newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Kiminori Iwama, today said that he will encourage Japanese companies to expand their business in Bangladesh to help the country achieve expected economic growth. “Japan wants to be more involved in Bangladesh’s national development,” said the ambassador in a meeting with Local Government and Rural Development Minister Tajul Islam on Wednesday. The ambassador expressed interest in investing in Chattogram municipality’s drainage system. “A number of Japanese companies are interested in investing here,” he said. Also Read: Japan, IOM sign $5.7 million assistance to Rohingyas, host communities in Bangladesh Stating that there’s a similarity between Narayanganj city and Japan’s Naruto city, he said, “There can be a city-to-city partnership agreement that will benefit both the cities." The ambassador also said Japan wants more skilled labor from Bangladesh.  He noted that Japan will increase investment in the special economic zone at Araihazar if infrastructure and other facilities are increased. The relations between the two countries will be strengthened more by investing in large projects like the Matarbari power plant, said the ambassador. Tajul Islam stressed the exchange of assistance in the information and technology and cultural sectors. Also Read: Japan wants to invest in sugar industry, biomass power, prepaid gas meters in Bangladesh They talked about a number of ongoing projects in Bangladesh that are being supported by Japan. They both emphasized strengthening cooperation in development work.  

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen hosted a farewell luncheon in honour of outgoing Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard on Tuesday at State guesthouse Padma. Prior to the luncheon, the outgoing Swiss ambassador paid a farewell call on the foreign secretary. Both sides also exchanged views on the issues of Rohingya crisis, Ukraine war, etc. and hoped that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Switzerland will continue to get stronger in the coming days. Ambassador Masud Bin Momen congratulated Nathalie Chuard on her successful tenure in Bangladesh and appreciated her efforts and contributions in strengthening Bangladesh-Switzerland bilateral relations. Read more: Masud Bin Momen bids farewell to Doraiswami Referring to the visit of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Switzerland in 1972 and his vision to make Bangladesh as the “Switzerland of the East”, foreign secretary thanked the Swiss government for playing an integral role as a very important development partner in the spectacular socio-economic development journey of Bangladesh. The outgoing ambassador of Switzerland expressed satisfaction at the Swiss development cooperation to Bangladesh over the last five decades and the growing bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries.

Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari on Friday said the friendly relations between Bangladesh and Nepal expanded into all areas – including economy, communication, trade, education, and culture – after the establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries on April 8, 1972. He was speaking at an art competition organised by the Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Society and Bangladesh Book Club at the Central Shaheed Minar the capital to mark the 50 years of Bangladesh-Nepal diplomatic ties. Read more: Dhaka, Kathmandu seek enhanced ties for mutual gains Speaking as chief guest at the event, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid said there are a lot of similarities between the cultures of Bangladesh and Nepal. "Also, after India and Bhutan, Nepal became the seventh country to recognise Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country on January 16, 1972."

The government has extended the contractual appointment of Kamrul Ahsan by two more years as Bangladesh ambassador to Russia. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification on Thursday regarding his reappointment. Ambassador Kamrul joined the Bangladesh Embassy in Moscow on January 5, 2020, and presented his credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 5, 2020. Before his assignment in Russia, he had been secretary for bilateral and consular affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was promoted to the rank of secretary in November 2016. Ambassador Kamrul served as Bangladesh high commissioner to Canada from 2012 to 2016. He was also concurrently accredited as Bangladesh's ambassador to Argentina, Cuba, Jamaica and Venezuela during this time. Also, he was the dean of the Asia Pacific Diplomatic Group in Canada He was the high commissioner of Bangladesh to Singapore from 2007 to 2012. Ambassador Kamrul served as the dean of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps in Singapore and was senior vice-president of Club 200, a platform of resident ambassadors and representatives of corporate houses in Singapore. Read more: Russia keen to further cooperation with Bangladesh and other grain-importing countries  

The government has appointed Md. Monwar Hossain as the next Ambassador of Bangladesh to Myanmar. He will be replacing Ambassador Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today. Ambassador-designate Md. Monwar Hossain is a career foreign service officer from the 20th batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS)-Foreign Affairs cadre. Also read: Amanul Haq appointed next Ambassador of Bangladesh to Turkey He is currently serving as Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN in New York. Joining the service in 2001, Hossain has served extensively in various capacities — both at the headquarters as well as in Bangladesh missions in Washington DC and Singapore. He did his Masters of Science in Health Policy, Planning and Financing from University of London and a PhD in Public Health Communication from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Read More: Ambassador Muhith elected vice-president of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board

Newly appointed Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen has described Bangladesh as the "Pearl of the Bay of Bengal, an important country in South Asia and a rapidly emerging economy." "Bangladesh is playing an irreplaceable role in regional and international affairs," said the ambassador who arrived here on Wednesday evening to serve as the 16th ambassador of China to Bangladesh. Yao thanked and paid a tribute to Bangladeshi friends from all walks of life for their kind help and stern support for the betterment of China-Bangladesh relations. He said under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership of Cooperation has been developing fast and steadily. "We keep enhancing mutual political trust, proactively synergize development strategies, promote cooperation in all fields, understand and support each other on core interests and major concerns, and jointly uphold international justice and true multilateralism," said the envoy. Acknowledging that China has embarked on a new journey toward a modern socialist country in all respects while Bangladesh is striving with no effort spared for the splendid dream of "Sonar Bangla" by following the country's Vision 2041 perspective plan, the envoy said their common goals would definitely bring about more powerful dynamics, more vigorous vitality, and an even brighter future for the bilateral relations. Yao said he is ready to work with friends from all walks of life to steadily implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, continuously explore new growth areas and write a new chapter for the Bangladesh-China Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Read more: Chinese envoy promotes Beijing's brand of international relations In his written remarks delivered upon arrival he said as the new ambassador of China to Bangladesh, he would like to keep extensive contact with all Bangladeshi friends, familiarise himself with and respond to expectations of local people towards China-Bangladesh relations, continuously explore new growth points, and let the bilateral relations better benefit the people and the community at large. "All happiness in life is the result of unswerving efforts. For a promising tomorrow of China-Bangladesh relations, let's trail the blaze, lead the way, and strive for the best," he said. Arriving at the Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the ambassador received "warm hospitality" from protocol officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, and officials of the Chinese Embassy. Read more: China to work with IORA for global development: Envoy  

Newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori on Monday presented his credentials to President Abdul Hamid. President's press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting. Welcoming the new ambassador of Japan, President Hamid said that Japan is Bangladesh's single largest bilateral development partner and an important country for trade and investment. The President thanked the Government of Japan for providing technical and financial support for the implementation of the Metrorail project. Highlighting Japan's cooperation in the socio-economic development of Bangladesh, the President hoped that trade and investment between Bangladesh and Japan would expand further and bilateral relations would reach new heights during the tenure of the new ambassador. During the meeting, the new ambassador of Japan sought the cooperation of the President in fulfilling his duties. He also expressed his confidence to work for the development of the relations between the two countries. Foreign Secretary Masood Bin Momen, President's Office Secretary Sahad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, and Press Secretary Joynal Abedin Khan were present on the occasion. Read more: New French, Omani ambassadors present credentials to President  

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Bhutan Shib Nath Roy on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban in the evening. President's press secretary Md Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting. During the meeting, the envoy sought the President's directives and overall cooperation in carrying out his assignment in Bhutan. Read more: “We very much value and welcome tourists from Bangladesh” Mentioning the excellent bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan, the president asked the newly appointed Bangladesh ambassador to further strengthen these ties in the coming days. President Secretary Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam, Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin and Secretary (attached) Md Wahidul Islam Khan were also present. Read more: Bangladesh's role in Bhutan’s socio-economic dev immense: Envoy