Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has received New Delhi’s agrement, clearing the way for his appointment as High Commissioner to India, effective 30 September 2025. The agreement, signed under Article 4 of the Vienna Convention, was handed over to the Bangladeshi envoy in New Delhi on 27 September.
Siam, who took office as Foreign Secretary on 20 June 2025, spent more than a decade in the service, including posts in Washington and at the World Bank. His experience in multilateral diplomacy will be crucial as Bangladesh seeks to smooth ties with its largest neighbour.
Riaz Hamidullah, who has headed the Bangladesh mission in India since 2019, will depart New Delhi to become the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva next month. Hamidullah, a seasoned diplomat, will oversee Bangladesh’s engagement on climate and development issues in the UN.
Bangladesh’s leadership has signaled that Siam will tackle longstanding disputes, including the renewal of the 1974 Ganga Waters treaty, and manage the anticipated November visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi. The high commissioner will also coordinate the defence and trade dialogues that stalled during the previous administration.
Siam is expected to meet Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on 5 October to outline a roadmap for bilateral cooperation and to discuss the new trade framework announced last month. Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the Delhi government to expedite the visa facilitation and border clearance processes to support the upcoming summit.