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Bangladesh envoy in Nepal in hot soup

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury - 8/8/2011

Dr. Nim Chandra Bhowmick, former teacher of Dhaka University, who was sent to Nepal as Bangladeshi ambassador, is visibly in hot soup, following series of allegations against him. Meanwhile, Nepalese foreign ministry has requested Bangladesh to withdraw him for “violating diplomatic norms.”



In a secret “unofficial” communication between the foreign ministries of the two countries, Nepal’s foreign ministry has accused the Bangladeshi ambassador of “seriously affecting” the bilateral relationship between the two countries by misusing his position through involvement in corruption, tarnishing the image of Bangladesh in Kathmandu for several reasons including “scandals related to women”.



It has been alleged that Dr. Bhowmik took bribe from a number of Nepalese students, who had been selected for scholarships announced by the Bangladesh government in 2009 and 2010.



Bhowmik, escorted former Indian army official General Jacob to a number of meetings in Kathmandu in his car carrying Indian flag. This is not only a gross violation of the diplomatic code, but also seditious according to law of Bangladesh. It is anticipated that, if this allegation is proved, Dr. Bhowmick may be arrested on his return to Dhaka and would be facing sedition charges.



The Bangladeshi ambassador, on several occasions, allegedly waited outside the residence of film actress Monisha Koirala without any prior notice, and made frantic efforts to meet her. Being failed to meet the famous actor without any prior appointment, Dr. Bhowmick threatened the security guards and even verbally abused them.



Nim Chandra Bhowmick also approached and disturbed Indian embassy’s counsellor and spokesperson Apoorva Srivastava with indecent proposals. He even called Ms. Srivastava to Bangladesh embassy on a number of occasions with lame excuses.



The Bangladeshi ambassador in Nepal reportedly visits night clubs, casinos and bars, by riding on the motorbike of Harunur Rashid, accountant of the embassy. Being completely drunk, he on a number of occasions, chased Nepalese girls and women on the street.



Dr. Bhowmick invited four female dancers from Bangladesh in 2010 and got into immoral activities with them. When first secretary of the embassy, Nasrin Jahan Lipi protested to such immoral and extremely nasty activities of the ambassador, she was forced to leave Nepal.



It is even alleged that, ambassador Bhowmich has turned his office chamber inside the chancery into a mere ‘day club’, where unknown young females are regularly see spending hours with him.



Due to lack of personality of Ambassador Dr. Nim Chandra Bhowmick, embassy’s total administration has visibly gone into the hands of accounts officer Harunur Rashid, who also is a trusted ‘company’ of Dr. Bhowmick in his ‘night missions’. Taking the advantage of such ‘unique’ situation, Harunur Rashid is involving in numerous financial irregularities and making significant amount of money in wrong ways.



There is also allegation against Dr. Nim Chandra Bhowmick of not abiding by the rules set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since his appointment as the ambassador in Nepal, Dr. Bhowmick visited Bangladesh more than 30 times, thus causing huge expenditure to national exchequer.



With the help of so-called education advisors, who are partners in ambassador’s financial crimes, have reported helped the ambassador in hiring a small apartment in Kathmandu, which is being used as ‘leisure place’. On most of the weekends, the ambassador visits this apartment with bunch of alcoholic beverage purchased under diplomatic privilege and some local girls are invited to offer company to him. It is reported that, alcoholic beverages purchased from the diplomatic ware houses are sold by the Bangladeshi ambassador and his abettor Harunur Rashid to black market from this apartment. Dr. Bhowmick draws significant volume of alcoholic beverages from the ware house showing excuse of ‘diplomatic receptions’ of numerous occasions. Most interestingly, in most cases, Dhaka is not required to pay for such purchases. It is a question as to wherefrom the ambassador manages such fund for purchasing alcoholic beverages worth a few million Nepalese Rupees each year.



Whoever may be Dr. Nim Chandra Bhowmick is and whatever may be his political or otherwise background, it is clearly proved that this man has greatly tarnished the image of Bangladesh in a foreign land. With the burning example of this case, it is high time for Dhaka to immediately assess the activities of Bangladeshi missions in other countries, where also politically blessed people were posted in important positions.