Jamaat adviser Hasan fired over letter

Staff Reporter :

Professor Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan has been removed from his position as foreign affairs adviser to the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami after a letter recommending his appointment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sent without the party chief’s consent.

The controversy arose following a letter dated 22 February, which was sent to Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman proposing that Mahmudul Hasan be appointed to the ministry. The letter was signed by Jamaat Ameer and parliamentary opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman.

In the document, Mahmudul Hasan was described as effectively performing diplomatic duties as the Ameer’s foreign affairs adviser and as possessing the professional network and expertise necessary to strengthen Bangladesh’s relations with countries across Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Americas, and Europe.

The letter also highlighted his engagement with several international platforms, including the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ASEAN Regional Forum, and the European Union. According to the letter, the proposal to appoint Mahmudul Hasan to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was presented as a “new and innovative” initiative that could help convey the opposition party’s foreign policy perspectives to the government while contributing to balanced international engagement.

However, Jamaat sources later clarified that the proposal included a recommendation to grant Mahmudul Hasan ministerial rank — an element that had not been approved by the party’s Ameer.

Confirming the development, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair told reporters that the letter had been sent primarily to facilitate policy discussions and participation in foreign affairs activities.
“As the ministerial status was proposed without the Ameer’s approval, Professor Mahmudul Hasan has been removed from the position,” he said.

Zubair added that Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, a member of parliament from Dhaka-14, has been appointed as the new foreign affairs adviser to the Jamaat Ameer. He said the change had already been communicated to the foreign secretary.

The incident has drawn attention within political circles as it highlights internal procedural issues within the opposition party regarding the handling of foreign policy initiatives and communications with the government.