DHAKA, July 8, 2026:
The government has granted State Minister status to internationally renowned human rights advocate Irene Khan, who has been appointed as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification on Wednesday, confirming that Khan will enjoy the rank, status and privileges of a state minister throughout her tenure as Bangladesh’s top diplomat at the UN.
Khan brings decades of experience in international diplomacy and human rights to the role. Since August 2020, she has served as the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression—the first woman to hold the position since its establishment in 1993.
She previously served as Secretary General of Amnesty International from 2001 to 2009, becoming the organization’s first female chief. Later, she headed the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), where she championed access to justice, the rule of law and Sustainable Development Goal 16.
Khan also spent 21 years with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), serving in several senior positions, including Chief of Mission in India.
Meanwhile, a major diplomatic reshuffle is expected within Bangladesh’s foreign service. Current Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury is likely to become the next Foreign Secretary, while incumbent Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam is expected to be appointed Bangladesh’s next High Commissioner to India, replacing Riaz Hamidullah.
Born in Bangladesh, Irene Khan studied at the University of Manchester and Harvard Law School. She has received numerous international honours, including the Sydney Peace Prize, for her contributions to human rights, democracy and social justice.
