India approves Asad Alam Siam as Bangladesh’s next high commissioner

Asad Alam Siam, the current Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, will soon move to New Delhi as Bangladesh’s new High Commissioner to India.

A copy of the agrément (official approval by the host country) has already been handed over to Bangladesh, a senior official told UNB today.

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The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi was officially informed via email this afternoon, said Saidur Rahman, Minister (Press) at the mission.

Siam is currently in New York, accompanying Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as part of the Bangladesh delegation.

The government is set to appoint Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, Bangladesh’s immediate past permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, as the next foreign secretary.

Bangladesh’s current High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah, will assume his new role as Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in Geneva next month.

Siam has completed one year in office, having assumed the post on June 20, 2025. A career diplomat, he joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995 and has served extensively at home and abroad. His previous assignments include ambassador to the United States, with concurrent accreditation to Guyana, and Permanent Representative to the World Bank and IMF.

From 2023 to 2024, he was ambassador to Austria, concurrently accredited to Hungary and Slovenia, and Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Vienna and the OPEC Fund. Earlier, he served as ambassador to the Philippines (2017-2021), with concurrent accreditation to Palau, and as Permanent Representative to the ADB and IRRI.

Noman Chowdhury, who joined the Foreign Service in 1998, previously served as Bangladesh’s ambassador to Nepal (November 2020-December 2024). His career includes postings in New Delhi, the UN Mission in New York, the Consulate General in New York, and the High Commission in Islamabad. At headquarters, he worked in the UN, Economic Affairs, Administration, Protocol, External Publicity and Southeast Asia Wings, as well as at the Foreign Service Academy.