Bangladesh’s newly appointed Permanent Representative to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, M Riaz Hamidullah, has said he will seek to highlight Bangladesh’s perspectives on advancing multilateralism and promoting shared interests in a fractured world.
He said areas such as women, water, climate change and culture offer opportunities for countries to find common ground where the values and interests of the vast majority converge.
“Beginning a new innings in Geneva, Switzerland. I look forward to contributing my modest bit and flagging Bangladesh perspectives to advance multilateralism in a fractured world,” Ambassador Riaz said in a message posted on social media.
He also highlighted the need for the international community to work towards a successor development architecture beyond 2030 to address challenges and harness opportunities for people across different regions.
Before taking up his new assignment in Geneva, Riaz served as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, assuming the charge on April 7, 2025.
Ambassador Riaz presented his credentials to Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva Tatiana Valovaya on October 27.
Tatiana Valovaya, 13th Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva and the first woman to occupy the position, welcomed his appointment.
“It was a pleasure to receive the credentials of Riaz Hamidullah, newly appointed Permanent Representative of Bangladesh. I look forward to working together to advance shared priorities and strengthen multilateral cooperation,” she said.
Riaz joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995 and has spent a considerable part of his career in multilateral economic diplomacy.
He first served at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1999 to 2003, followed by an assignment as a mid-career political officer at the Bangladesh Mission in New Delhi from 2003 to 2005.
From 2005 to 2011, he worked on South Asian regional cooperation, including a three-and-a-half-year stint as a director at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu.
There, he dealt with regional agriculture and rural development, transport connectivity, the SAARC Development Fund and the development of regional projects. He also contributed to the development and reorganization of SAARC institutions and processes.
In 2012, he served as Director-General in charge of Europe and EU Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2013 to 2016, as Director-General for Multilateral Economic Affairs, he covered sustainable development, climate change, migration, development finance, multilateral trade, connectivity, water and the blue economy.
He also led Bangladesh’s engagement in various multilateral processes, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
During this period, he served as the lead interlocutor and negotiator on the Bangladesh Sustainability Compact concerning the readymade garment and textile industry with the United States and the European Union, as well as on issues related to responsible business conduct.
Riaz served as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka from August 2016 to July 2020 and later as Ambassador to the Netherlands from July 2020 to August 2024.
After returning to headquarters, he served as Additional Foreign Secretary for Multilateral and Regional Affairs from August to December 2024, followed by an assignment as Secretary (West) from January to March 2025.
He subsequently assumed office as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India on April 7, 2025.
