Dhaka:Career diplomat Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury has officially taken office as Bangladesh's new Foreign Secretary, succeeding Asad Alam Siam, who is poised to become the High Commissioner to India.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Chowdhury will continue to serve as the Foreign Secretary until further notice, as indicated by an official notification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Chowdhury's appointment follows his tenure as Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. He has been part of the Bangladesh Foreign Service since 1998 and served as Ambassador to Nepal from November 2020 to December 2024. His extensive diplomatic career includes roles at Bangladesh's High Commissions in New Delhi and Islamabad, the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and the Consulate General in New York. At the ministry's headquarters in Dhaka, he has worked in multiple departments, including the United Nations, Economic Affairs, Administration, and more.
Asad Alam Siam, the outgoing Foreign Secretary, joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995. His previous assignments include serving as Bangladesh's Ambassador to the United States, with concurrent accreditation to Guyana, and as the country's Permanent Representative to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Between 2023 and 2024, he served as Ambassador to Austria, with concurrent accreditation to Hungary and Slovenia, and represented Bangladesh at the United Nations Office in Vienna and the OPEC Fund.