Myanmar envoy skips foreign secretary’s luncheon for Asean Dhaka Committee

Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen hosted a luncheon in honour of the Asean Dhaka Committee at the State Guest House, Padma, on Thursday.

Heads of missions and diplomats from Asean missions in Dhaka, including Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, joined the event, according to the foreign ministry.

However, the ambassador and representatives from Myanmar, another Asean member, did not attend.

Despite being in Dhaka at the moment, the reason for Ambassador U Aung Kyaw Moe's absence remains unknown.

A senior official at the foreign ministry told the Dhaka Tribune that the foreign secretary pointed out his absence while speaking with the other ambassadors.

The foreign ministry summoned him on Tuesday over the latest developments on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

Two people were killed and many others injured when mortar shells fell inside Bangladesh from the other side as the conflicts between Myanmar forces and the Arakan Army were going on.

"The foreign secretary highlighted some of the potential sectors for enhancing engagements with Aseanmember states and sought their support towards becoming a sectoral dialogue partner of Asean,” the foreign ministry said about the lunch meeting.