The absence of Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen in the entourage of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India caused multiple speculations in the diplomatic and political circle.
Though sources close to Momen’s family cited ‘illness’ as the reason behind the absence many believe that he was advised to not accompany the PM for his recent remarks.
When Mr Momen briefed the newsmen on PM's Delhi visit on Sunday he did not mention that he would not be accompanying the PM.
Traditionally a foreign minister always accompanies the Prime Minister on any official tour abroad.
His absence from PM’s entourage was known when Prime Minister flew for Delhi on Monday morning without him.
Some officials of the foreign minister claimed that the decision to drop him was taken by the top rung of the government at the eleventh hour but some others said that he was informed beforehand.
Even during the briefing on Sunday, the minister was unusually reluctant to reply to key questions related to the visit.
Most of the questions were answered by the State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam.
Recently Mr Momen has drawn flak from the party high ups for his remarks in a Chittagong meeting where he said that he had requested India to extend cooperation to ensure that Hasina government would continue to remain in power.
The opposition parties also came down heavily on the FM for such remarks.
But on Sunday the minister claimed that his remarks were twisted by media and others.
He said that he sought cooperation of India to eliminate terrorism and communalism to ensure stability in the region.
Our Prime Minister is the symbol of regional stability as she shown zero tolerance to terrorism and communalism, the minister said adding that he had explained the importance of the stability of this government.
