India has yet to give its approval for the appointment of Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam as the country’s next High Commissioner to New Delhi.
Dhaka sought New Delhi’s approval for Asad Alam more than a month ago. Without receiving country’s approval, Bangladesh cannot formally announce the appointment, The Print reported.
The development comes as the incumbent Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah, is expected to take up his new assignment as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva around mid-October.
Under Article 4 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a sending state must obtain the receiving state’s approval before accrediting a person as head of its diplomatic mission. The receiving state is not required to give reasons for refusing its approval.
Asad Alam previously served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the United States. Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that he assumed office as Foreign Secretary on 20 June 2025.
The delay in approving his appointment comes against the backdrop of a chill in India-Bangladesh relations. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman did not attend the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September despite being invited by India in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair. Bangladesh also sent no representative to the summit.
Earlier, a proposed state visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi was also cancelled.
