Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam is set to become Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner to India, succeeding M Riaz Hamidullah, according to diplomatic sources.
Siam, a career diplomat, assumed office as Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary in June 2025. He joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995.
His proposed agreement in New Delhi comes as Bangladesh and India seek to maintain diplomatic engagement amid continuing challenges in bilateral relations.
Before becoming Foreign Secretary, Siam served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the United States, with concurrent accreditation to Guyana and as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
From 2023 to 2024, he served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Austria, with concurrent accreditation to Hungary and Slovenia, and as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Vienna and to the OPEC Fund.
Earlier, Siam served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the Philippines from 2017 to 2021, with concurrent accreditation to Palau and as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the Asian Development Bank and the International Rice Research Institute.
He also served as Bangladesh’s first Consul General in Milan, Assistant High Commissioner in Manchester, and in diplomatic assignments in Jakarta and Bangkok.
At the Foreign Ministry, Siam has held several senior positions, including Inspector General of Missions, Rector of the Foreign Service Academy, Chief of Protocol and Director General of the Europe and EU Wing.
M Riaz Hamidullah, the incumbent High Commissioner to India, is expected to take up a new assignment as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva around mid-October.
The proposed change comes at a sensitive time in Bangladesh-India relations. While the two countries have continued working-level engagement, including mechanisms dealing with cross-border connectivity, political differences have persisted.
Siam’s extensive experience in bilateral diplomacy and multilateral affairs is expected to be relevant as Dhaka seeks to manage its relationship with New Delhi and address a number of outstanding bilateral issues.
