Who Is Asad Alam Siam? Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner To India

Bangladesh’s career diplomat Asad Alam Siam is set to take charge as the country’s next High Commissioner to India after New Delhi granted formal diplomatic approval for his appointment. The development, confirmed on September 22, 2026, paves the way for Siam to assume the key diplomatic position in New Delhi in the coming weeks.

Siam, who has served as Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary since June 2025, brings nearly three decades of experience in diplomacy, bilateral relations and multilateral negotiations. His appointment comes at a time when Dhaka and New Delhi are working to stabilise bilateral ties following a strained period.

Who Is Asad Alam Siam?

Asad Alam Siam is a senior Bangladeshi career diplomat who joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995 as a member of the 15th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre.

Over the course of his career, Siam has held several senior positions in Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served in diplomatic missions across Asia, Europe and North America. His assignments have included ambassadorial postings in the Philippines, Austria and the United States.

Before his appointment as Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner to India, Siam served as the country’s Foreign Secretary, a position he assumed on June 19–20, 2025, under the previous interim administration.

Asad Alam Siam’s Education And Early Background

Siam is an alumnus of Mirzapur Cadet College, where he was part of the institution’s 19th batch. He subsequently pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands.

In addition to his academic qualifications, Siam has undergone professional training at several institutions, including the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Hawaii, the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) in Seoul, and Bangladesh’s National Defence College.

He has also served as a guest lecturer at training institutions in Bangladesh.

From Foreign Service Academy To Ambassadorial Roles

Siam has held several important administrative and diplomatic positions at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. These include Director in the offices of the Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary, Director General of the Europe and EU Wing, Chief of Protocol, Rector of the Foreign Service Academy and Inspector General of Missions.

His overseas assignments began with diplomatic postings in Bangkok, Thailand, and Jakarta, Indonesia. He later served as Assistant High Commissioner at Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commission in Manchester, United Kingdom, before becoming the country’s first Consul General in Milan, Italy.

These assignments formed part of a career spanning bilateral diplomacy, international cooperation and the management of Bangladesh’s overseas missions.

Ambassadorial Assignments In The Philippines, Austria And US

Siam was appointed Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the Philippines in January 2017, a position he held until 2021. During this assignment, he was also concurrently accredited to Palau and served as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

He subsequently served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Austria from August 2023 to November 2024. His responsibilities included concurrent accreditation to several European countries and representation at the United Nations offices in Vienna and the OPEC Fund.

During his Vienna posting, Siam also served as a Governor on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors and as Vice-Chair of the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

In November–December 2024, Siam took up the position of Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the United States, serving until June 2025. His responsibilities included concurrent accreditation to Guyana and representing Bangladesh at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Asad Alam Siam’s Appointment As Bangladesh High Commissioner To India

India granted formal diplomatic approval, known as agrément, for Siam’s appointment as Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner on September 22, 2026. The approval clears the way for him to take charge of Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi in the coming weeks.

Siam will succeed M. Riaz Hamidullah, who was appointed High Commissioner in 2025 during Bangladesh’s interim administration. Hamidullah is expected to move to Geneva to serve as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Meanwhile, Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, is widely expected to succeed Siam as the country’s next Foreign Secretary.