Dhaka expects foreign diplomats to follow code of conduct

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday said that Dhaka expects that the foreign diplomats stationed in Bangladesh will follow their code of conduct in line with diplomatic norms.

“The ambassadors those are stationed here, they know their code of conduct … they will follow it and this is what expected,” he told this at a briefing while responding to a question at foreign ministry.

The foreign minister said Bangladesh is no more subject to any country one, it is an independent and sovereign country. “We are no longer a colony, they (diplomats) should remember it,” he added.

Dr Momen accused some quarters in the country those are used to visit foreign diplomats to discuss and get suggestions regarding Bangladesh’s internal matters.

“It’s very unfortunate, this culture needs to be changed … today or tomorrow we have to change this culture,” he said.

Last week, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said the government would take appropriate steps if any foreign diplomat stationed here crosses the boundary.

The comments came as in recent days, envoys of some countries stationed in Dhaka made some comments on internal affairs those are conflicting with the diplomatic norms under Vienna Convention.

Article 41 paragraph 1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 reminds diplomats to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state and unequivocally restricts them from meddling in that nation's in domestic affairs.