The Government of Bangladesh has decided to appoint internationally renowned human rights advocate Irene Khan as the country’s next Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, marking a major diplomatic appointment.

Khan will succeed Salahuddin Noman Choudhury as Bangladesh’s top envoy to the UN headquarters, according to government sources.

The government has also decided to appoint academic and researcher A. K. M. Wahiduzzaman as Bangladesh’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. His appointment has reportedly received the approval of Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman.

Khan has been serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression since August 1, 2020. She became the first woman to hold the mandate since the position was established in 1993, earning global recognition for her work on freedom of expression and human rights.

In another key diplomatic reshuffle, Riaz Hamidullah, currently serving as Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to New Delhi, is set to be appointed as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva.

Meanwhile, Nahida Sobhan, the current Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in Geneva, is expected to be appointed Rector of the Foreign Service Academy.

The appointments represent one of the most significant diplomatic reshuffles by the government in recent years, placing experienced diplomats and internationally recognized figures in key multilateral positions.

An official announcement from the government is expected shortly.