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IF ANYTHING, the prime minister’s trip to New York this time around, to attend the United Nations General Assembly, is likely to be remembered for her jumbo entourage and, of course, at least two embarrassing episodes given rise to by some members of the entourage.
As if such unwarranted extravagance was not embarrassing enough, two Bangladeshi officials left a packet containing copies of the prime minister’s UNGA speech unattended, outside Bangladesh’s permanent mission in New York, touching off a significant security scare. According to a report published in New Age on Sunday, the anti-terrorism squad of the New York Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Special Forces of the US army, and the city fire department sent in their personnel, with dog squads and ambulances hot on the heels, as the news of the unattended packet spread. Yet, Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the UN nonchalantly termed the episode a minor mistake made into a big issue!
The episode involving the ‘secret’ recording of the prime minister’s conversation with the chief reporter of a private television channel, who is also on the official entourage, may not have been that big an issue but eventually involved the prime minister’s security contingent and was embarrassing nonetheless.
Overall, for all intents and purposes, the prime minister’s trip to New York, essentially a routine annual event, has been turned into an exercise in extravagance, causing major embarrassment for the country. The incumbents certainly owe an explanation to the people for such profligacy.
Govt]Govt owes an explanation for UNGA extravagance owes an explanation for UNGA extravagance