AFM Gousal Azam Sarker is a Bangladeshi diplomat of the 1986 batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS-FA),[1] and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1989. He is also the former ambassador of Bangladesh to Iran,[2][3] former ambassador of Bangladesh to Lebanon,[4] and the former ambassador of Bangladesh to Sweden.[5] He is presently the chairman of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.[6]
Personal life
editGousal Azam Sarker was born on 8 February 1964 as the eldest son to late Freedom Fighter Rais Uddin Sarker, a recognised veteran (Mukti Bahini) of the Bangladesh War for Liberation, 1971.[7][8] He is an alumnus of the University of Dhaka where he completed his bachelor's (honours) degree in English literature, and his master's degree in English linguistics.[8] Subsequently, he received a second master's degree in international policy & practice from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., US.[8][7]
He is married to his wife Sadia Azam and has two sons and a daughter.[7]
Career
editSarker joined the foreign affairs cadre of the Bangladesh Civil Service in 1986.[9]
In his long diplomatic career, Sarker served in various capacities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs including as director general (Europe) and director general (international organisations). He served in Bangladesh missions in Paris, Kathmandu, Cairo, Hong Kong SAR, Stockholm, Beirut, and Tehran. He served as Bangladesh's consul general in Hong Kong SAR, and ambassador to Sweden, Lebanon, and Iran with concurrent accreditation to Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Tajikistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.[10]
Sarker was the director general of the Europe and international organisations wings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs between 2008-2010.[11]
In 2014, Sarker was the first ambassador of Bangladesh to Lebanon.[12] He and the head of chancery at the embassy, ATM Monemul Haque, had filed multiple complaints against each other with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[12] The Foreign Ministry recalled both men after the Foreign Ministry sent the ambassador of Bangladesh to Egypt to investigate the issue.[12] [13]
Sarker was appointed ambassador of Bangladesh to Sweden in September 2010 and presented his credentials to the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf in November.[14]
In June 2019, Sarker was appointed the ambassador of Bangladesh to Iran.[11]
In March 2023, Manjurul Karim Khan replaced Sarker as the ambassador of Bangladesh to Iran.[15][16] He was appointed chairman of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Chairman Message".
- ^ "PM asks Bangladesh envoys to strengthen ties with Muslim countries". The Daily Star. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Azam Sarker new B'desh envoy to Iran". New Age. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Govt appoints new envoys to Greece, Lebanon, Turkey". The Daily Star. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs". mofa.gov.bd. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Indo-Pacific Outlook: Dhaka stresses on shared prosperity". The Daily Star. 3 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ a b c "The Government has decided to appoint Mr. AFM Gousal Azam Sarker, currently serving as the Director General of International Organizations wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, as the new Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Islamic Republic of Iran".
- ^ a b c "Curriculum Vitae of Mr. AFM Gousal Azam Sarker" (PDF). D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Gousal Azam made envoy to Sweden". The Daily Star. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Chairman Message".
- ^ a b "AFM Gousal Azam Sarker made Bangladesh envoy to Iran". bangladeshpost.net. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ a b c "Govt to call back envoy, counsellor". The Daily Star. 5 July 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Ambassador in Beirut to face music". The Daily Star. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Sweden ready to help fight climate change". The Daily Star. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Manjurul Karim new envoy to Iran". The Daily Star. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury appointed as ambassador to Iran". Daily Sun. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Board of Governors". www.biiss.org. Retrieved 6 September 2024.