Club member named Bangladeshi ambassador to Mexico

National Press Club member Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey is Bangladesh's newest ambassador to Mexico.

A Club member since 2015, Fazal was named to his position on Jan. 27 by Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government. Fazal said he accepted the position because it was a great opportunity to work with Yunus, nicknamed “Banker to the Poor,” who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and pioneering microfinance. Microfinance is financial services provided to low-income individuals or groups typically excluded from traditional banking.

Before stepping into diplomacy, Fazal built an extensive career covering global affairs, focusing on democracy, human rights and climate change. As a journalist, he reported from the White House, the U.S, State Department and the United Nations.

He was most recently the executive editor of South Asia Perspectives and the executive director of Right to Freedom, a human rights advocacy organization. Fazal spent 2012-2024 as the editor and White House/UN correspondent for Just News BD, bringing South Asian viewpoints to global audiences.

He also served as a consultant to the World Bank, reported for The (Sunday) Times of London, hosted the Bangladeshi TV show "Hello Excellency" and covered foreign affairs and diplomatic missions for the Daily Ittefaq, the oldest Bengali-language newspaper. He served as the assistant press secretary to Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia from 2001-2006. Fazal has presented about Bangladeshi democracy and human rights to institutions including Harvard University, the British Parliament and George Washington University.

Fazal believes his journalism expertise, particularly in communication, networking and leadership, will be invaluable in his new role.

“If I am a good communicator, I can achieve what I set out to do,” he said. “Diplomacy is one kind of communication. I believe in diplomacy and the power of people-to-people connections.”

Diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Mexico are relatively new. Bangladesh first established an embassy in Mexico in 2013. Fazal's priorities in his new position are expanding bilateral trade, enhancing diplomatic cooperation and curbing human trafficking routes used by Bangladeshi migrants seeking entry into the US via Mexico.

Fazal wants to increase Bangladeshi exports to Mexico to US$1 billion. Two-way trade between the nations in 2023 totaled US$651 million, including US$236,000 in exports from Mexico to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi exports to Mexico primarily consist of apparel for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Gap and Zara, but also include cotton, textiles, footwear and leather products.

Fazal plans to create more legal employment opportunities for Bangladeshis working abroad, reducing reliance on human traffickers. He highlighted the significance of foreign remittances, which constitute a major source of revenue for Bangladesh, with millions of Bangladeshi workers employed legally across the Middle East and Europe.

“We have immense opportunities for collaboration,” Fazal said. “Both countries can benefit by working together.”