The North Korean government today withdrew its diplomat Han Son Ik from Bangladesh for his illegal activities violating diplomatic norms.

A highly placed diplomatic source told The Daily Star that the Foreign Ministry had asked North Korean Embassy's First Secretary Han Son Ik, who was also the Deputy Chief of Mission, to leave Dhaka by today and he left accordingly.

The diplomat left by a China Airlines flight this afternoon.

Earlier in July, customs officials reportedly seized a consignment of tobacco and electronic products, worth Tk 3.5 crore, from the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Kamalapur in the capital.

The North Korean diplomat purportedly brought the items without following due process.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) wrote to Foreign Ministry to take appropriate actions against the diplomat for importing goods without following the due process.

The Foreign Ministry informed the Korean Ambassador in Dhaka about the government decision and gave an ultimatum to withdraw its diplomat by August 8.

Bangladesh earlier expelled another North Korean diplomat after he was caught smuggling gold worth US $1.4 million in March 2015.

Customs officials found Son Young Nam, the then first secretary of the North Korean Embassy in Dhaka, trying to smuggle 27 kg (60 pounds) of gold into the country.