Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam Appointed Bangladesh's Next High Commissioner to India

Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary, Asad Alam Siam, is set to assume office as the country's next High Commissioner to India in New Delhi later this October after receiving the approval of the Indian government, diplomatic sources said.

According to diplomatic officials, Siam is expected to take up his new assignment during the third or fourth week of October, depending on scheduling arrangements.

Sources in New Delhi said the tenure of the current High Commissioner, M. Riaz Hamidullah, will end on October 10, and preparations are underway for Siam to succeed him.

Siam is currently in New York as part of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly. He is expected to return to Dhaka on September 27, after which he will complete the necessary formalities before departing for New Delhi.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka said Bangladesh requested India's formal approval (agrément) for Siam's appointment in July. The Indian government granted its consent nearly three months later, clearing the way for his appointment.

Nearly Three Decades in Diplomacy
Asad Alam Siam assumed the role of Foreign Secretary on June 20, 2025. Before that, he served as Bangladesh's Ambassador to the United States. A member of the 1995 Foreign Service cadre, Siam has nearly 30 years of diplomatic experience.

During his tenure in Washington, he also served as Bangladesh's non-resident ambassador to Guyana and represented the country at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

From 2023 to 2024, Siam served as Bangladesh's Ambassador to Austria. He concurrently held non-resident ambassadorial responsibilities for Hungary and Slovenia and served as Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to several United Nations organizations and the OPEC Fund in Vienna.

Earlier, from 2017 to 2021, he was Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Philippines, while also serving as non-resident ambassador to Palau. During that period, he represented Bangladesh at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, Siam has held several senior positions, including Director General for Europe and the European Union, Chief of Protocol, Inspector General of Missions, and Rector of the Foreign Service Academy. He also served as Director in the offices of both the Foreign Minister and the Foreign Secretary.

His overseas postings have included Jakarta, Bangkok, and Manchester. He was also Bangladesh's first Consul General in Milan, Italy.

Riaz Hamidullah to Head Bangladesh Mission in Geneva
Outgoing High Commissioner M. Riaz Hamidullah will conclude his tenure in New Delhi before Siam assumes office.

Hamidullah took charge as Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India on April 7, 2025, and presented his credentials to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on May 29 of the same year.

His term is scheduled to end on October 10. Following his departure from New Delhi, he is expected to take up a new assignment as Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

Hamidullah was appointed High Commissioner during Bangladesh's interim government and remained in the position after the current BNP-led government assumed office. He will leave New Delhi in October after serving for approximately 18 months.