Do you live abroad for the whole career?

No. A career rotates between headquarters and missions, and the time spent in Dhaka is substantial.

Is a foreign language mandatory?

Not at application, but a third language is a considerable advantage in service and is often taught as part of training.

Which academic background helps?

No subject is required. But reading in history, political science or international relations, and a habit of good English writing, help considerably on the job.

BCS Foreign Affairs Cadre

বাংলায় পড়তে চাও? দেখো: বিসিএস পররাষ্ট্র ক্যাডার

The commonest idea about this cadre is that it means living abroad. In fact a large part of the career is spent at headquarters in Dhaka, and time at a mission is not a holiday either — it is the work of representing Bangladesh’s interests in another country.

What the work actually is

At headquarters the work is policy and analysis — preparing briefs on bilateral relations, forming Bangladesh’s position in international bodies, readying visits and agreements. At a mission it adds consular service, the problems of citizens abroad, promoting trade and investment, and reporting back on the politics of the host country.

Drafting and language — the two capitals

Here the quality of your writing is the quality of your work, because a note or a report is often the basis on which a decision gets made. Precise, compact English is not a luxury in this cadre but the minimum condition. An appetite for learning a third language on top of that pays real dividends across a career.

The side that touches your life

Changing country every few years — it affects children’s schooling and a partner’s career.
Postings can include difficult stations; preference does not always decide.
Social functions are part of the job, not personal time.
You represent the country, so conduct is always observed.

Who this cadre is not for

Anyone who wants to settle permanently near family and home city, or who is uneasy with writing, will find this hard. Choosing the cadre for the attraction of living abroad and regretting it later is not rare, so the nature of the work should decide, not the postings.