India agrees to Siam's appointment as Bangladesh's High Commissioner in Delhi

India has given formal consent to the decision to appoint Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam as Bangladesh's next High Commissioner in Delhi. A copy of India's consent letter, or agrément, has been handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, Indian media outlet Hindustan Times reported.

In a report published on Tuesday, Hindustan Times, citing concerned individuals, said India's consent to Siam's appointment has ended recent speculation over the matter. Earlier, a report in Indian media outlet The Print had said India was delaying giving formal consent to Siam's appointment as Bangladesh's next High Commissioner in Delhi.

Asad Alam Siam, a career diplomat who joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995, will succeed current High Commissioner M Riaz Hamidullah in New Delhi within the next few weeks. The government has decided to send Riaz Hamidullah to Geneva as Bangladesh's new Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Before taking charge as Foreign Secretary in June 2025, Siam served as Bangladesh's Ambassador to the United States for less than a year. Earlier, he served as Bangladesh's Ambassador to Austria from 2023 to 2024 and as Ambassador to the Philippines from 2017 to 2021.

Siam also served as Bangladesh's first Consul General in Milan, Italy, as Assistant High Commissioner in Manchester, United Kingdom, and as a junior diplomat in Indonesia and Thailand. During his service at home, he worked as the head of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General of the Europe and European Union Division, and Director in the Foreign Secretary's office.

The Hindustan Times report said news of India's consent to Siam's appointment came amid efforts to rebuild bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India. Earlier, reports had emerged of a decision to send former minister and politician Dinesh Trivedi as India's next High Commissioner in Dhaka.

Relations between the two countries became strained after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. After the BNP government led by Tarique Rahman came to power this year, initiatives were taken to normalise relations between Dhaka and Delhi. However, complexities remain in relations between the two countries over various issues.

In this situation, Siam taking charge as Bangladesh's new High Commissioner in Delhi is becoming important for diplomatic communication between the two countries. After taking charge, he will have to work on various aspects of bilateral relations. Alongside this, he may also have a role in preparing for a possible visit to India by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.