Siam likely to be next FS as Jashim quits

Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA, Asad Alam Siam, is likely to be the next Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, competent sources told the FE on Wednesday, amid speculation of a change in the post.

Asked about the matter, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, however, declined to disclose the name of the next FS but confirmed that the incumbent, Joshim Uddin, is stepping down.

"He has expressed his inability to continue his responsibilities as the Foreign Secretary. So, he will be replaced, and you will know within a day or two who the new Foreign Secretary will be," he said.

Mr Joshim will be assigned another responsibility, he added.

Mr Siam belongs to the 15th batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre.

He joined the Foreign Service in 1995 and has served in various key roles, including Chief of Protocol and Rector of the Foreign Service Academy. He also served as the first Consul General of Bangladesh in Milan, Italy.

Mr Siam completed his bachelor's in architecture from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and earned an MBA from the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands.

Earlier, the Foreign Adviser told reporters that the Commerce Adviser had been asked to communicate with India regarding its decision to suspend RMG imports through land borders from Bangladesh.

Asked whether India had responded to Bangladesh's letter protesting the pushback of Bengali-speaking citizens, he said the Indian government had not yet replied.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com