DHAKA: The government has decided to suspend Song Yang Nam, first secretary (economics and commercial) of North Korean Embassy to Bangladesh, over gold smuggling.

The foreign minister sources on Monday also said they will inform the matter to North Korea government.

Customs authorities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, earlier on Thursday, detained the diplomat along with 27 kgs of gold.

The decision came after three days of the incident as foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali and foreign secretary Shahidul Haque were on foreign tour.

However, the ministry is considering two alternatives besides the suspension of the diplomat.

These are--- Bangladesh might ask the North Korean government to withdraw Song Yang from Bangladesh and bring him to justice according to their law. In this regard Bangladesh will give the country three to seven days. The second option would be the withdrawal of the diplomatic immunity of Song Yang Nam so that Bangladesh can bring him to book as per its law”.

But, under the Vienna Convention, no country can bring the foreign diplomats under trial. So, the government is putting emphasis on the suspension of the North Korean diplomat.

After detention of the diplomat, North Korean Embassy held several meetings with airport customs, Armed Police Battalion (APBN) and foreign ministry from Thursday night to Friday.

As per Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations – 1961, Song Yang Nam was released on bond signed by him along with four other officials of North Korean Embassy, including its head of mission Mun Song Ho on Friday noon.

BDST: 1108 HRS, MAR 09, 2015