K.M. Shehabuddin

K.M. Shehabuddin was the first Bangladeshi diplomat, and is known for defecting from the Pakistani Foreign Service before the formation of the Mujibnagar government.[1][2][3]

## Contents

* 1 Early life
* 2 Career
* 3 Memoir
* 4 Death
* 5 References

## Early life[edit]

Shehabuddin was born on 11 April 1937 in Chandnaish, Chittagong, East Bengal, British Raj.[4]

## Career[edit]

Shehabuddin joined the Pakistan Civil Service in 1966. He was posted in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi in 1971 as the second secretary. At the start of the Bangladesh Liberation war, he resigned from the Pakistan Foreign Service on 6 April 1971 and pledged allegiance to Bangladesh, along with his colleague Amjadul Huq. After the independence of Bangladesh, he served as the country's ambassador to the United States, France, Spain, Poland, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Kuwait.[4] He retired from the diplomatic service in 2001.[5]

## Memoir[edit]

In 2006, UPL published Shehabuddin's autobiography, There and Back Again: A Diplomat's Tale.[6]

## Death[edit]

Shehabuddin died on 15 April 2015.[4] In 2016, he was awarded the Independence Award (Shadhinota Padak), the highest civilian honor of Bangladesh, posthumously.[7]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "K M Shehabuddin - in whom patriotism was all". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
2. ^ "Hasina condoles Shehabuddin's death". The Financial Express. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
3. ^ "President mourns death of Shehabuddin". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
4. ^ a b c "Former Bangladesh diplomat KM Shehabuddin who left Pakistan's side in 1971 dies". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
5. ^ "Former ambassador KM Shehabuddin passes away". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
6. ^ "There and Back Again - A Diplomat's Tale". UPL. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
7. ^ "Ambassador K M Shehabuddin: An intrepid patriot". The Daily Star. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2017.