India clears Asad Alam Siam as Bangladesh's next high commissioner to New Delhi

India has formally approved the appointment of Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam as Dhaka's next high commissioner to New Delhi, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, paving the way for his posting at a time when the two neighbours are seeking to reset strained bilateral ties.

The agrément, or formal consent required from the receiving country, was handed over to Bangladesh's foreign ministry in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon. The development brings an end to recent speculation that New Delhi had delayed its approval of Siam's appointment.

Siam is expected to replace Riaz Hamidullah in New Delhi in the coming weeks. Hamidullah has been posted as Bangladesh's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Career diplomat moves to New Delhi

Siam joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995 and has held several diplomatic assignments in Bangladesh and abroad. He served as Bangladesh's ambassador to the United States for less than a year before being appointed foreign secretary in June 2025.

Between 2023 and 2024, he served as ambassador to Austria, while he was Bangladesh's envoy to the Philippines from 2017 to 2021. His other overseas assignments included serving as Bangladesh's first consul general in Milan, Italy, assistant high commissioner in Manchester, UK, and as a junior diplomat in Indonesia and Thailand.

At the foreign ministry, Siam has served as chief of protocol, director general of the Europe and EU wing and director in the office of the foreign secretary.

The appointment is also being viewed against India's earlier decision to appoint former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi as its high commissioner to Dhaka. Siam's posting would send Bangladesh's most senior diplomat to New Delhi, people familiar with the matter said.

Resetting ties after years of strain

Siam will take charge as India and Bangladesh seek to repair relations that deteriorated sharply after Sheikh Hasina's government was ousted during a student-led uprising in August 2024. Hasina subsequently came to India, and her continued presence in the country has remained a major point of contention between Dhaka and New Delhi.

The relationship subsequently went through a prolonged period of strain under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. After the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman came to power earlier this year, both sides began efforts to rebuild ties.

Siam is expected to play a key role in that process, including preparing the ground for a possible visit to India by Rahman. Recent reporting indicates that New Delhi and Dhaka are discussing dates in November for a bilateral visit, although no final schedule has been announced.

Rahman had earlier been invited by India for a bilateral visit as well as to attend the recent BRICS summit in New Delhi in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC. Bangladesh did not attend the September 12-13 summit, and the proposed bilateral visit did not take place.

New foreign secretary expected in Dhaka

With Siam moving to New Delhi, Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, Bangladesh's former envoy to the UN in New York, is expected to become the country's next foreign secretary, people familiar with the matter said.

Chowdhury is seen in some quarters as being rewarded for his role in securing the election of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman as president of the UN General Assembly.

Siam's move to New Delhi therefore comes at a sensitive stage in bilateral relations, with both governments attempting to restore diplomatic engagement while continuing to differ over issues including Hasina's presence in India.

Despite the political strains, official-level engagement has continued. India and Bangladesh have recently maintained talks on areas including rail connectivity and cross-border train operations, while several technical working groups have also resumed functioning.