Bangladesh Recalls Envoy Who Banned Eid Sacrifice At Kolkata Mission
Shabab Bin Ahmed's directive to stop the decades-old Bakrid sacrifice at the Kolkata Consulate triggered internal dissent, prompting Dhaka to cancel his posting.
The interim government of Bangladesh led by Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus has cancelled the appointment of senior diplomat Shabab Bin Ahmed to the Kolkata Consulate after his directive banning the sacrifice of cows and goats on Eid al-Adha triggered backlash within the mission.
Ahmed had defended his decision and pointed out that the practice posed sanitation issues and was not followed by any other Bangladeshi missions abroad. 'We must consider the local environment and the context where we are posted… We should respect the customs of the host country," he said.
The order led to widespread discontent among staff, prompting the Foreign Office to recall him to Dhaka immediately, according to reports in Dhaka-based newspaper Prothom Alo.
Ahmed, who was due to take charge as Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata in early June, had issued the directive even before formally assuming office. His order to stop the decades-old practice of qurbani on the Consulate premises reportedly found no support among staff members, who cautioned him about the sensitivity of the move. The tradition, observed at the mission for over 30 years, includes meat distribution to the local community.
Ahmed, who was scheduled to take charge in the first week of June, which had coincided with Eid al-Adha, had circulated the directive around the same time, raising questions about its intent and timing.
Local Bangladeshi news outlets quoted him as saying that no other Bangladeshi mission abroad observes qurbani on Eid and that the practice also leads to sanitation issues in the surrounding area.
Ahmed was previously posted in The Hague and was appointed to Kolkata after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024. His formal appointment to the Kolkata post was slated for November 21, 2024, following his tenure at the Bangladesh Embassy in The Hague.
Ties between India and Bangladesh have since remained tense under the Yunus-led interim regime, which has faced criticism for failing to contain radical groups spreading anti-India rhetoric.
First Published:
May 23, 2025, 22:04 IST
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