National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman and Education Adviser CR Abrar are set to leave Bangladesh. Both are scheduled to depart Dhaka on separate flights Monday.
The news comes despite earlier remarks from the chief adviser’s press secretary, who had said no advisers were leaving the country.
Sources said Chowdhury Rafiqul (CR) Abrar will depart on a China Southern Airlines flight at 12:30pm, while Khalilur Rahman is expected to leave on an Emirates Airlines flight at 6:45pm.
On Sunday, at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the advisers were in the country and would attend the new government’s swearing-in ceremony.
Speculation about advisers leaving began soon after the 13th parliamentary election. On Friday morning, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb suddenly flew to Germany on an Emirates flight, sparking media reports. Later, he claimed on Facebook that he had formally resigned from his post before leaving Dhaka.
Press Secretary Shafiqul was asked whether the advisers, like Taiyeb, were also leaving the country, or if they stayed, how their responsibilities would end. In response, he said: “The advisers will attend the swearing-in ceremony in official flag-bearing cars, but once the ceremony concludes, they will return home without the flags.”
When asked about Taiyeb’s departure, Shafiqul said he had nothing to add beyond the former special assistant’s own statement.
