Foreign Secretary Md. Jasim Uddin is set to go on an extended leave, pending approval from the highest level of government policymaking. Once the leave is granted, Md. Nazrul Islam, the Secretary (East) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is expected to take over as the Acting Foreign Secretary. This information was confirmed by sources within the Ministry on Tuesday.
According to ministry officials, Jasim Uddin is expected to be on leave for several months. A decision has already been made to relieve him of his duties as Foreign Secretary. After his leave, he is likely to be appointed as Bangladesh’s ambassador to a country in North America.
This marks the second time the interim government has decided to make a change in the Foreign Secretary post. Jasim Uddin, a 13th batch officer of the BCS (Foreign Affairs) cadre, was appointed to the position in September last year. He was originally scheduled to go on post-retirement leave in December 2026.