Army declares Lt Gen Sarwardy ‘persona non grata’

Army declares Lt Gen Sarwardy ‘persona non grata’

Lieutenant General (Retd) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, with his offensive statement and lies regarding Bangladesh Army in social media platforms, has tarnished the force’s image, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said.

A press release, signed by its Assistant Director Rashedul Alam, was issued in this regard on Sunday.

In the interview, which was broadcast live on Facebook on July 14th, Lieutenant General (Retd) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy spoke disparagingly about the current chief of army staff, corruption in the government and the failure to hold free and fair elections. He also criticised the role of Indian intelligence agencies in the country.

Sarwardy told Netra News on Wednesday, the day after the Facebook live interview, that he was now in hiding, but that it was only a matter of time before he would be picked up unless the international community helped him.

The ISPR release said the retired army official, while in service, was involved in immoral relationship with different women.

"It is to be noted that he got involved in immoral relations with more than one woman while he was the commandant of NDC after he was promoted to the rank of Lt General. He also mixes with many women while travelling abroad with various courses conducted at the NDC," the press release adds.

“Following which, the authorities concerned had advised him in various ways when pictures of his indecent behaviour and mixing came to public through various mediums,” the release added.

While he was in LPR, he got divorced with his first wife on August 16, 2018. Later on November 21, 2018, the former army official married his second wife wearing his uniform, which was a complete violation of force’s rules and regulations, added the release.

Before his second marriage with a controversial media personality, the former army official started living with her at the same house from November 3, 2018 and went to different places for vacation.

These incidents were criticized in military and civil societies and on social media as well.

All these resulted in the army declaring Lt Gen (retd) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy as persona non grata in the cantonment and the area covered by it from April 10, 2019.

“It is to be noted that, access to all facilities and services provide by Bangladesh Army, including the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Officers' Club, CSD shop and others, are prohibited for an individual declared persona non grata,” the release added.