More than a month after Dhaka sought New Delhi’s agrément for the proposed appointment, India has yet to formally approve Siam’s posting, according to an Indian media report.
India has not yet granted its formal approval for Bangladesh’s proposed appointment of Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam as the country’s next High Commissioner to New Delhi, according to Indian news outlet ThePrint.
More than a month has passed since Dhaka sought New Delhi’s approval, known diplomatically as agrément, for Siam’s appointment, the report said.
The delay means that Siam’s proposed posting remains pending, with India yet to formally communicate its consent to the Bangladesh government.
Siam, a senior Bangladeshi diplomat, has been proposed for the key diplomatic position at a time when relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have faced significant challenges and are undergoing a period of reassessment.
The High Commissioner’s post in New Delhi is considered one of Bangladesh’s most important diplomatic assignments, given the countries’ extensive political, economic, security and people-to-people ties.
Neither side has publicly indicated a specific reason for the delay in granting the agrément. The absence of approval does not necessarily mean that the appointment has been rejected, but the prolonged wait has drawn attention amid the broader complexities in Bangladesh-India relations.
Once the host country grants agrément, the appointment can proceed through the formal diplomatic process, allowing the nominated envoy to take up the post.
The development comes as Dhaka and New Delhi continue to navigate a changing bilateral relationship following the political upheaval in Bangladesh in August 2024.
September 15, Dhaka
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