Serve people with a smile

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has asked Bangladesh missions abroad to serve people with a smile.

He made the call during a videoconference with ambassadors based in Europe early this week, said a foreign ministry statement yesterday.

However, the context behind the minister's directive could not be known. It has been a common complaint from Bangladesh expatriates that they do not get good service at the missions, especially in countries with high concentration of Bangladeshi migrant workers.

Following the arrest of Bangladesh MP Shahid Islam Papul in Kuwait on June 6 for human trafficking, money laundering and bribery, the foreign minister termed it "shameful for Bangladesh".

Momen instructed the ambassadors to make sure that service seekers are not mistreated in any way. The foreign ministry will take stern actions if it is found that any employee of the Bangladesh missions shows negligence in duty and in providing services and lack courtesy in serving people, the statement said.