H.E. Mr. Riaz Hamidullah, High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, did graduation and post-graduation in Economics, respectively from India and Bangladesh.

He joined Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1995. Subsequently, served a sizable part of his career in multilateral economic diplomacy at the headquarters. In respect to postings abroad, he first served in Bangladesh Permanent Mission to UN in New York where he primarily dealt with matters related to UN’s administrative and budgetary matters, and economic issues; was a member of Bangladesh Team during Bangladesh membership to the UN Security Council (2000-01); served as an (elected) member at the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (2000-‘02). Later, served as a mid-career political officer in Bangladesh Mission in New Delhi inter alia dealing with water resources related matters.

Over the next six years, he worked on South Asian regional cooperation matters, including a three and half year stint at the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu as a Director where he dealt inter alia with regional agriculture and rural development, transport connectivity. He helped shape and steer emergence of the SAARC Development Fund and development of several regional/sub-regional projects. During this period, he also contributed towards development /re-organisation of SAARC institutions and processes.

He was appointed as the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Sri Lanka on 13 August 2016.