Dhaka: The government has appointed Tarik Ahsan as Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner to Pakistan amid estranged relations between the two countries.  

Currently serving as Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Tarik Ahsan will be replacing Suhrab Hossain whose contractual appointment is going to expire soon amid diplomatic row between Bangladesh and Pakistan.  

Suhrab was appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan in July 2010 on contract after his retirement and got extensions on a number of occasions. Earlier, he was asked to return home apparently for his poor performance.  

Meanwhile, the Dhaka-Islamabad ties have suffered a blow after Pakistan’s ‘brazen interference’ in Bangladesh's internal affairs over the execution of two top war criminals in November last year.

There have been incidents of ‘retaliation’ by Pakistan when its diplomat Fareena Arshad had to leave Dhaka on 23 December amid an allegation that she was involved in ‘terror financing’.  

Dhaka then had to shift former Counselor-Political at the Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Moushumi Rahman to Lisbon at the request of Islamabad.

However, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, on 2 February, made it clear that Dhaka had no plan to sever its diplomatic relations with Islamabad right now.

Tarik Ahsan, in his diplomatic career, served in Bangladesh Missions in New York, Riyadh, Jakarta and Berlin in different capacities, according to Foreign Ministry statement.  

He also served in the Ministry as Director General, International Organizations (IO).