Secretary General Md. Golam Sarwar at the Helm of SAARC: Possibilities amid Diplomatic Challenges

Photo: Beeju Maharjan / TDN

It was a coincidence that led to the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) H.E. Md. Golam Sarwar’s arrival in Kathmandu earlier than expected. Before him, the post was held by H.E. Esala Ruwan Weerakoon from Sri Lanka. Weerakoon completed his term and left for Colombo in 2023, after serving for three years and a few months.

As per the SAARC Charter, member countries take turns nominating a Secretary General in alphabetical order. After Sri Lanka, it was Afghanistan’s turn to nominate a candidate.

However, Afghanistan’s ability to appoint the Secretary General was uncertain following the return of the Taliban regime. The Taliban, now in power in Kabul for the second time, have not been formally recognized by any government.

In response to this situation, the SAARC Chair, Nepal, in consultations with all other member countries and the SAARC Secretariat, came up with an ‘out of the box’ proposal that facilitated H.E. Sarwar’s appointment. It was agreed by all member states to bypass Afghanistan and offer the post of Secretary General of SAARC to the next country in alphabetical order, Bangladesh. Consequently, Bangladesh’s nomination of H.E. Sarwar for the post was unanimously approved by all member countries. On October 25, 2023, he assumed office at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu as the fifteenth Secretary General of the Regional Organization.

A seasoned South Asian diplomat, Secretary General Sarwar joined the Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs) in 1991. He has since served in various capacities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, both at home and in Bangladesh missions abroad. He holds the rank of Substantive Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh.

Sarwar has represented Bangladesh on numerous occasions in regional and international forums throughout his career. Before arriving in Nepal, he was appointed Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Malaysia from November 2020 to September 2023. Prior to that, he served as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Sultanate of Oman (August 2017- November 2020). He also served as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Sweden, with concurrent accreditation to Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland (October 2013-August 2017).

Additionally, Sarwar held the position of Consul General of Bangladesh to Jeddah with Consular, Trade and Cultural jurisdictions in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia (2008-2010).

The SAARC Secretary General H. E. Sarwar’s overseas assignments also included postings at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington D.C., United States, where he served as Counsellor (2005–2006) and Minister (2006–2008); the High Commission of Bangladesh in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as First Secretary (1997–2000); the Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu, Nepal, as First Secretary/Counsellor (2000–2002); and as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Yangon, Myanmar (1996–1997), marking an extensive range of diplomatic engagements.

Likewise, he held several key positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, including Assistant Secretary (1991–1996), Director/Deputy Chief of Protocol (2002–2005), and Director General (2010–2013).

As Secretary General of SAARC, Sarwar has begun engaging actively with the member states. Facilitating the convening of the long-delayed 19th SAARC Summit will be a key focus of his tenure. The summit, originally scheduled to take place in Pakistan in 2016 (two years after the 18th Summit was held in Kathmandu), has yet to be held. As such, the current Secretary General is expected to closely coordinate with Nepal, the current chair, to foster consensus among all member states.

Reinvigoration of regional cooperation will require constructive engagement between the member states, particularly between India and Pakistan, whose strained relations continue to pose a challenge to SAARC’s progress. However, Secretary General H. E. Sarwar was able to arrange stalled Programming Committee Meetings twice (2024 and 2025), with the participation of the member countries, for which he expressed his gratitude to the leadership of all the member countries.

SAARC currently operates several regional centres across its member states, including the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) in Dhaka, the SAARC Energy Centre (SEC) in Islamabad, the SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) in Colombo, the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) in Kathmandu, and the SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) in India. These centres are playing a pivotal role in keeping the SAARC spirit going through their ongoing programme and activities.

However, higher-level interactions of SAARC, including the Standing Committee and Council of Ministers can infuse further energy to the Specialized Bodies and the Regional Centres, as their contributions are essential in advancing regional cooperation further to achieve lasting peace and shared prosperity in South Asia.

As Secretary General, H.E. Md. Golam Sarwar brings with him a deep understanding of regional dynamics. His appointment offers an opportunity to reinvigorate SAARC’s agenda by fostering dialogue, strengthening institutional mechanisms, and encouraging active engagement from all member states. With his diplomatic experience, Secretary General Sarwar is poised to play a pivotal role in steering the Association toward greater unity and shared progress in the region.