Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Muhammad Imran is on home leave and he will return to Washington well ahead of the next national election, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said today.

Talking to reporters at the ministry, Masud said all ambassadors are entitled to enjoy different kinds of leave including home leave, medical leave, or emergency leave. "Or it can be for rejuvenating in a third place after, for example, one year of hard work."

Earlier a Bangla daily reported Imran went on leave for an indefinite period.

Regarding Imran, the foreign secretary said it was a sanctioned leave and there is a limit for home leave which is not more than a month.

"But he has taken relatively a shorter period of leave; it was an old application," he said, adding in this world anyone can remain connected from any place, any time.

Ambassadors are entitled to one month of home leave after every two years of work, said the foreign secretary.

On November 24, the foreign secretary briefed heads of missions (around 90) based in New Delhi on the recent political scenario and preparations for the next general election in Bangladesh.

Mentioning that the election is a "festive occasion in Bangladesh as we see it in many democratic countries," he told ambassadors that people of Bangladesh have been eagerly waiting to take part in the democratic process to vote and elect the representatives of their choice.