B’desh Foreign Sec Asad Alam Siam expected to be approved as Bangladesh’s next High Com  to India, but process taking time

New Delhi, 16 September 2026 —  India is expected to grant approval for Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam to become the country’s next High Commissioner to India, but the formal clearance is taking time due to procedural and bilateral considerations, TheNewsSite.In learnt. 

According to well-placed officials familiar with the matter, there is no substantive objection to Siam’s appointment.

However, the process has been delayed amid a broader chill in India–Bangladesh ties, with both sides engaging in quiet consultations before finalising the clearance.

The delay means Bangladesh cannot yet make an official announcement or post Siam to New Delhi, even though the incumbent High Commissioner, M. Riaz Hamidullah, is due to leave for a UN assignment in Geneva by mid-October. 

Profile: Ambassador Asad Alam Siam

Ambassador Asad Alam Siam assumed office as Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary on 20 June 2025. A career diplomat who joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995, he has served extensively at home and abroad. 

Key assignments include:

Ambassador to the United States (with concurrent accreditation to Guyana) and Permanent Representative to the World Bank and IMF. 

Ambassador to Austria (2023–2024), concurrently accredited to Hungary and Slovenia, and Permanent Representative to UN Offices in Vienna and the OPEC Fund. 

Ambassador to the Philippines (2017–2021), with concurrent accreditation to Palau and as Permanent Representative to the Asian Development Bank and the International Rice Research Institute. 

Earlier roles: First Consul General in Milan; Assistant High Commissioner in Manchester; junior postings in Jakarta and Bangkok. 

Ministry roles in Dhaka: Inspector General of Missions; Rector of the Foreign Service Academy; Chief of Protocol; Director General (Europe & EU Wing); Director in the Offices of the Foreign Advisor and Foreign Secretary. 

In recent months, Siam has led Bangladesh’s diplomatic push on the Rohingya crisis and regional cooperation initiatives, including talks with Myanmar and expanded trade engagement with Bhutan.