The interim government has appointed Md Jashim Uddin as the 27th foreign secretary of Bangladesh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today.

A career diplomat, Jashim Uddin joined Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1994 and has served extensively both at home and abroad.

Prior to his new role, he was Bangladesh's ambassador to China, with concurrent accreditation to Mongolia.

He also served as Bangladesh's ambassador to Qatar from 2020 to 2022 and as Bangladesh's ambassador to the Hellenic Republic (Greece) with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Malta and Republic of Armenia from 2015 to 2020.

Jashim Uddin's earlier assignments included serving as deputy high commissioner at the Bangladesh high commission in Islamabad (2012-2013), minister and deputy chief of mission at the Bangladesh embassy in Washington, DC (2008-2012), counsellor at the Bangladesh embassy in Tokyo (2003-2005), and first secretary and counsellor at the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi (2000-2003).

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Dhaka, he served as director general in charge of South Asia and the East Asia and Pacific Wings (2013-2015), and as director for South Asia (2005-2008).

Jashim Uddin holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in international relations from the University of Dhaka, and an MA in modern international studies from the University of Leeds, UK.

He also completed a yearlong course at the National Defence College in Dhaka.

The appointment comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs bid farewell to the outgoing foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen on September 1.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossan and senior officials of the ministry were present at the farewell ceremony.

Masud Momen's contractual appointment was cancelled a day after his formal farewell.

The previous government extended the tenure of Momen by two more years under a contractual appointment effective from December 6, 2022 or from the date of his joining.