Shahidul Haque is a former Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, as well as a diplomat and academic.
He served as the Foreign Secretary from 2013 to 2019. During his time in office, he played an important role in strengthening Bangladesh-India relations, addressing the Rohingya crisis, and even ran for the position of Deputy Director General at the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
However, his long tenure also brought some criticism.
He held the same high-ranking post for nearly 10 years, which led to frustration among colleagues who felt denied of promotions. Some also accused him of being autocratic in his decision-making.
There were further allegations of irregularities during foreign trips, and claims that he blocked opportunities for other officials to go abroad for training or study.
Another criticism was that he allegedly supported adding loopholes in tobacco control regulations in favor of tobacco companies.
That said, no formal government investigation or conclusive judgment has been made on these allegations.
In summary, Shahidul Haque is seen as a significant figure in Bangladesh’s diplomatic history, though parts of his career have been surrounded by controversy and criticism.