The government has appointed Muhammad Imran, currently serving as the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, as the ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States, the foreign ministry announced on Wednesday.  Imran will succeed Md Shadidul Islam, the current Bangladesh ambassador in Washington DC.  Imran is a career foreign service officer belonging to the 1986 batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre. In his illustrious diplomatic career, Imran has served extensively in various capacities both at the Headquarters as well as in Bangladesh Missions abroad such as Jeddah, Bonn, Berlin and Ottawa, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Imran also served as the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata and Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan (with concurrent accreditation to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan). READ: Muhammad Imran new Bangladesh HC to India   He was also the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi.  A medical graduate from Mymensingh Medical College, Imran obtained Diploma in Development Diplomacy from Germany and completed a course on Humanitarian Law from International Institute of Humanitarian Law at San Remo, Italy.  He is married to Dr Zakia Hasnat and blessed with two daughters.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan has reiterated the need for strengthening diplomatic efforts to boost bilateral relationship with the USA and expand trade and business between the two countries.  “Newer challenges will emerge for Bangladesh in the post-LDC period as the trade facilities currently being enjoyed by the country will no longer be available after the graduation. In such context, Bangladesh needs to step up its diplomatic efforts in our major export markets like the USA to create enabling environment to expand our trade,” he said.  He made the remarks while exchanging views with Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam in Washington D.C on Tuesday during a lunch hosted by the envoy in honor of the BGMEA President and the delegation. READ: Close cooperation on trade can be win-win for Bangladesh, Indonesia: BGMEA    BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali, Director Abdullah Hil Rakib, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy Ferdousi Shahriar and Commercial Counsellor at the embassy Md Salim Reza were present also at the meeting.  The BGMEA delegation apprised the envoy about the present situation of Bangladesh’s RMG industry, its challenges and the areas where the sector is working on to enhance its competitiveness in the coming days.  Diversification in products, especially shift to non-cotton and high-end product segment, market diversification and innovation in product development and process optimization are some of the priorities for the industry, they said.   BGMEA President Faruque Hassan sought support and cooperation of the Bangladesh Embassy in promoting bilateral trade between Bangladesh and the USA, especially increasing garment exports to the US market. He also called upon Ambassador Shahidul Islam to assist in attracting investment from US businessmen and non-resident Bangladeshis in textile industries in Bangladesh. READ: Epyllion clinch BGMEA Cup  The BGMEA leaders paid homage to those who had made supreme sacrifices for the cause of their mother tongue---Bangla – in front of Shaheed Minar on the embassy premises, said the BGMEA.  They also paid tributes to Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of his memorial at the Embassy.