The New Nation - Internet Edition

Amendment of a 32-year-old law by the Council of Advisers on Sunday to facilitate the marriage of Bangladesh's permanent representative to the United Nations with a foreigner came as a surprise to many. The Public Servants (marriage with foreign nationals) Ordinance, 1976 whose amendment has been approved prohibited such marriage by foreign servicemen and required other government servants to procure the President's permission for marrying foreigners.

The Council of Advisers acted on a proposal initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Bangladesh's permanent representative to UN Ismat Jahan expressed her desire through the ministry to marry a Dutch national now staying in New York. As per the amendment approved by the Council of Advisers, Foreign Service officials will now be able to marry foreigners with permission from the President.

The restrictions against marrying foreigners by government servants, imposed by the 32-year-old law, was aimed at guarding state secrets which might leak out in case of such marriage. The said amendment as made by the Council of Advisers has relaxed restrictions even in respect of Foreign Service officials.

Just because it is easy for the Council of Advisers to amend laws that does not mean they are to take undue advantage of it. But we are not sure if the Advisers are fully aware of it. The Caretaker government is unrepresentative emergency government for dealing with the huge national crisis.

The law they have amended has to do with the considerations of state security. But it is clear that convenience of a single person reigned supreme. Surely Ms Ismat Jahan cannot be considered so indispensable that a law involving state security has to be changed. Many will question her sense of responsibility as a highly placed diplomat. For her love she could have resigned the post.

Nobody would speak against a person's choice to have a foreign husband. But while holding a state position one cannot ignore the prior state considerations.