M Shiful Islam and Ariful Islam Mithu
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a “Letter of Introduction” for Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman and three other top leaders of the party for their upcoming trip to Canada.
The letter, sent from the ministry’s Consular Wing to the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka on 11 August, has raised eyebrows, as such letters are typically not issued to individuals outside of government office holders, according to diplomats.
Commenting on the matter, former ambassador M Humayun Kabir told TIMES of Bangladesh, “Letters of introduction are occasionally issued in certain cases. The ministry may issue such a letter as a courtesy.
“This is not an official letter, and the Canadian High Commission may or may not respond to it. In terms of whether such a letter can be given to the leaders of a political party, the ministry may have done this under special consideration.”
Kabir further stated, “I am not sure, but perhaps the government has a good relationship with the party, and they made a request for this letter. Since the leaders of Jamaat are involved in various government-related processes, it could be an introductory letter.”
Though the letter was issued on 11 August this year, it came under the spotlight on Friday.
The foreign affairs ministry had issued that letter, signed by Assistant Secretary (Consular) Md Moudud Hasan, to the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka. The letter stated that Dr Shafiqur Rahman, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, would be visiting Canada between 25 and 31 October, or around that time.
The delegation accompanying Shafiqur will consist of four members: Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Mahmodul Hasan, and the ameer’s personal secretary Muhammad Nazrul Islam.
The letter also requests that the visa process be expedited. It further mentions that the visit will be for “official purposes,” though the specific details or schedule of the trip have not been provided yet.
When approached for a comment, ATM Abdur Rouf Mandal, director general of the Consular and Welfare Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declined to comment on the issue.
When asked whether Jamaat had made any request to the ministry, he said, “I cannot comment without reviewing the documents in the office.”
Confirming the Canada trip, Jamaat leader Taher said, “I am aware of the trip, but the exact dates and details can be provided by our party’s foreign affairs official.”
Following the issuance of this letter, questions have arisen regarding whether Jamaat is now considered part of the government, as such letters are rarely issued without government affiliation.