Bangladeshi diplomat Anarkali has been arrested along with her Nigerian friend
Bangladeshi diplomat Kazi Anarkali has been arrested along with her Nigerian friend on charges of storing the banned drug marijuana at home. He was held in the Indonesian Drug Control Bureau’s detention center for almost 24 hours. There he was interrogated. He was later released through diplomatic efforts, particularly through the generosity of the Indonesian government. Although he was released in embassy custody, he was ordered to leave the Indonesian border as soon as possible. The matter became known to Segunbagichar immediately.
Negotiations are conducted through the Embassy of Bangladesh in Jakarta. According to sources, based on concrete information, the Indonesian drug control authorities searched Kazi Anarkali’s home with the utmost severity, seized the drugs and arrested him along with his Nigerian friends. According to sources, Anarkali shared a house in Jakarta with this foreign friend who was brought from Los Angeles, USA. According to the sources, the relationship of these two people was a life together. However, it was not possible to learn the name of her boyfriend or the person with whom she shared the house.
What is certain is that he is a Nigerian citizen.
Sources say the Indonesian government is very strict in controlling drugs. They have not yet allowed the use of marijuana in medical practice. Indonesian law provides for life imprisonment or even death for drug possession or use. According to sources, they carried out the raid on July 5 after it was confirmed that drugs were in the diplomat’s residence. However, his arrest and release did not generate such great pressure to emigrate. Rather, this pressure came from Dhaka. Because then the foreign minister. Preparations were underway for AK Abdul Momen’s pre-scheduled visit to Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the government has launched an official investigation into Anakli’s detention. A high-level committee of inquiry led by Foreign Minister (East) Mashfi bint Shams was formed. The committee of inquiry will begin its official work today. However, senior government sources say the unofficial investigation into Anarkali’s marijuana case, which has severely tarnished Bangladesh’s bright image in the diplomatic world, is already underway. On July 16, Deputy Chief of Mission Jakarta Kazi Anarkali left Indonesia. AK Abdul Momen visited the country. State Secretary Mashfi Binte Shams accompanied the minister at the time.
He was asked to conduct a preliminary investigation into the matter. He gathered some information about it. At that time, a detailed report was requested by the Indonesian government. Dhaka is waiting for this report. Concerned officials say Anarkali’s defense call-up and other processes will soon be completed. Note that the Secretary of State. AK Abdul Momen also informed about this, an official said that the ministry wants to bring Anarkali back and carry out the official investigation against them in silence. His investigative file was initiated and approved a long time ago. But the letter was not issued. Segunbagicha has confirmed that letter distribution and other official activities will begin today.
What the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam has commented on the discovery of drugs at the residence of Deputy Head of Bangladesh Mission in Indonesia Kazi Anarkali and his withdrawal as “regrettable and embarrassing”. Speaking to reporters at the State Department on Tuesday, he said: “We’re investigating. We’ve seen the news, the news isn’t just something to look at, we’ve known about this officer for a few days. We investigate. We’re embarrassed.
In response to a question, the Minister of State said an official was involved, call it a story or an incident, or an incident he was involved. “The whole thing is unfortunate and embarrassing for us,” he said, hoping to find out if he did it himself or his friend. “We will never compromise with the high level of the foreign cadre,” assured the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs that appropriate legal action would be taken in the event of a guilty verdict. If he (Anarkali) is found guilty in the investigation then legal action will definitely be taken against him, that much I can tell.
Anarkali, Bangladesh’s deputy ambassador to Jakarta, enjoyed full diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention. How did the Drug Enforcement Agency raid his home without informing Bangladesh? That was the question for the Minister of State. The journalists wanted to know whether the Bangladesh government had put questions to the Indonesian embassy in Dhaka or to the country’s foreign ministry. The Minister of State replied, “My first answer is that they did nothing wrong here.” Because we heard there was another foreigner in that house. In this case, the police can go. The Minister of State said we thank the Indonesian government for working with us. Gave our diplomat back. He is now in our care, under our control. It will be helpful for our work.”
It should be noted that this isn’t the first time Anarkali has been pulled back from diplomatic duties. She had previously been brought back from Los Angeles in 2017 in connection with the disappearance of a domestic worker. Anarkali, an officer of the 20th Group of Foreign Cadres, was Deputy Consul General of Bangladesh in Los Angeles, USA at the time. He was urgently deployed to Jakarta under a US government deadline and had to leave the US within hours of receiving his Indonesian visa.