The Government has appointed Md. Nazrul Islam, currently Ambassador to Ethiopia and accredited to Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, and the African Union, as the new Ambassador of Bangladesh to Russia.
Ambassador Islam is a career diplomat from the 15th batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs cadre). Over his distinguished career, he has served in various capacities at Bangladesh missions in Rome, Kolkata, and Geneva, and has been actively involved in multilateral negotiations on behalf of Bangladesh. At headquarters, he has held several positions across different wings.
He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Dhaka and has completed advanced studies and training programs in France, the Netherlands, and other countries.
Meanwhile, Nahida Sobhan, currently High Commissioner to Canada, has been appointed Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, according to sources in Dhaka, Geneva, and Ottawa.
Nahida Sobhan joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in 1995 as part of the 15th batch of BCS (Foreign Affairs). She has held several key diplomatic posts, including becoming the first Bangladeshi female ambassador to the Middle East during her tenure as Ambassador to Jordan. She has also served at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, the embassy in Rome, and the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata. Ms. Sobhan is highly experienced in migration and human rights issues.
She holds both a BA and MA in English Literature from the University of Dhaka and has undertaken diplomatic training such as the Diplôme de Relation Internationale at IIAP, Paris, and a Summer Course on Public International Law at the Peace Palace, The Hague. Fluent in Bengali and English, she is also proficient in French. She is married and has two children.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Ambassador to Iran, Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, who joined the Tehran mission on 8 May 2023, is expected to be appointed the next High Commissioner to Malaysia, as Md. Shamim Ahsan’s tenure there nears completion.
Ambassador Chowdhury previously served as Ambassador to Myanmar (2018–2023) and held posts including Director General of the South East Asia Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consul General in Istanbul, and diplomatic assignments in Brunei, Rome, and London. He holds a BSc in Engineering from BUET and a Master’s in Geopolitics and Global Security from the University La Sapienza, Rome. He has also completed the Chevening Fellowship on Peacekeeping at the University of Bradford, UK.
Tareq Md Ariful Islam, currently Bangladesh Permanent Representative to Geneva since August 2024, is tipped to become the next Ambassador to the USA. Before Geneva, he served as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka (2020) and had two stints at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. He joined the Foreign Service in 1998 and has held key roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He holds a Master of Diplomacy and Trade from Monash University, Australia, and a BSc in Civil Engineering from BUET. Mr. Islam is married with two daughters.
Md. Jashim Uddin, former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to China, is expected to be appointed the next High Commissioner to Canada. A career diplomat from the 13th batch of BCS (Foreign Affairs), he has served in key ambassadorial and senior positions, including in Qatar, Greece, Islamabad, Washington DC, Tokyo, and New Delhi.
Jashim Uddin holds BA and MA degrees in International Relations from the University of Dhaka and an MA in Modern International Studies from the University of Leeds, UK. He has also attended the National Defence College in Dhaka.
