Irene Khan named BD’s UN envoy

The government has appointed internationally renowned human rights advocate and former senior United Nations official Irene Khan as Bangladesh’s next Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

She has been replaced incumbent envoy Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, as part of a wider restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

A gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Wednesday said Irene Khan would enjoy the status and privileges of a state minister during her tenure as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative.

In a separate move, the government appointed AKM Wahiduzzaman as Bangladesh’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York for a one year term.

According to a gazette notification issued on Tuesday, Wahiduzzaman has been appointed on a contractual basis with the rank of ambassador carrying Grade-1 status.

The notification said he must sever all connections with any profession, business, government or semi government organisation from the date of joining.

The remaining terms and conditions of his appointment will be determined under the contract agreement.

Officials said the two appointments form part of a broader diplomatic reshuffle that will affect several senior positions both at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka and country’s key overseas missions.

According to ministry sources, the government is expected to implement the changes before the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in September to ensure a new diplomatic team is in place for one of the busiest periods of country’s international engagement.

Sources said Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, current Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, is set to become the country’s next Foreign Secretary, replacing Asad Alam Siam.

Asad Alam Siam is expected to be appointed Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner to India, succeeding M Riaz Hamidullah, who is likely to become Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

Nahida Sobhan, Bangladesh’s current Permanent Representative in Geneva, is expected to return to Dhaka to serve as Rector of the Foreign Service Academy.

Mohammed Abdul Muhith, the academy’s current rector and a former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, is tipped to become Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

The position has remained vacant since March.

According to ministry sources, the BNP led government has decided to undertake the reorganisation as part of a broader effort to reshape country’s diplomatic leadership five months after assuming office.

Another expected change involves Molla Farhad, Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is likely to become the next ambassador to Mauritius, replacing Joki Ahad, who has already been appointed High Commissioner to Denmark.

Since assuming office on 18 February, the BNP government has appointed new ambassadors to three countries. Besides Joki Ahad’s posting to Denmark, Nur-e-Alam has been appointed ambassador to Ireland, while AFM Zahidul Islam has been posted to Argentina.

Diplomatic sources said ambassadorial positions in Bangladesh’s missions in Singapore and Iran are still vacant and appointments to those missions are expected in a later phase of the reshuffle.

While ambassadors M Mahfuzul Haq, Md Moynul Islam and M Mushfikul Fazl Ansari have already returned, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Md Nazmul Islam, remains at his post after seeking government approval to continue his assignment.

Asad Alam Siam was appointed Foreign Secretary on 20 June 2025 during the interim administration led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, succeeding Md Jasim Uddin. Before becoming Foreign Secretary, he served as Bangladesh’s ambassador to the United States.

Meanwhile, Irene Khan currently serves as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, a position she has held since 1 August 2020. She is the first woman to hold the mandate since it was established in 1993.

An internationally respected advocate for human rights, gender equality and social justice, she has built a distinguished career spanning the United Nations, international organisations, academia and civil society.

She teaches at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and is co author of The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights, which has been published in seven languages.

From 2001 to 2009, Irene served as Secretary General of Amnesty International, becoming the first woman to lead the global human rights organisation.

During her tenure, Amnesty expanded its work on political and civil rights in the context of counter terrorism and armed conflict while broadening its mandate to include economic, social and cultural rights. She also launched the organisation’s first global campaign to end violence against women and girls.

Between 2012 and 2019, she headed the International Development Law Organization, the only intergovernmental organisation dedicated exclusively to promoting the rule of law and sustainable development.

Irene began her professional career with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where she served for 21 years at headquarters and in field operations, including as Chief of Mission in India and Deputy Director of the Division of International Protection.

She currently serves on the governing boards of BRAC, the Overseas Development Institute in the United Kingdom and Barefoot Law in Uganda.

Born in Bangladesh, Irene studied at the University of Manchester and Harvard Law School. She has received several international honours, including the Sydney Peace Prize in 2006, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion of human rights.