H.E. Abida Islam
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Mexican States
Ambassador Abida Islam assumed the charge of the office of the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Mexican States on 29th August 2021. She presented her credentials on 14th September 2021 to the President of the United Mexican States.
Prior to her present diplomatic assignment, she served as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Republic of Korea since December 2017.
Ambassador Abida Islam is a career diplomat and joined Bangladesh Foreign Service in November 1995. She has served in different capacities in several wings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka which includes International Organizations, Far East, South-East Asia, Americas-Pacific & Counterterrorism, and Administration.
She has served in various positions in Bangladesh Missions in London (2001-2004), Colombo (2004-2006), and Brussels (2009-2012). She also served as the first female Deputy High Commissioner (Head of Mission) of Bangladesh in Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, West Bengal, India (2012-2014).
Abida Islam has represented Bangladesh at a number of International Conferences, Seminars, and Summits on a variety of issues. In the capacity of Director-General, she was in charge of the International Organization (2014-2015) as well as the Americas Wing (2015-2017) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka.
She has obtained a Master’s degree in Social Science (Sociology) from Dhaka University, Dhaka, and another Master’s Degree in Foreign Affairs & Trade from Monash University, Australia.
She is single. She has a son, Arshad Ahmed, and a daughter, Aysha Ahmed.
She has received the following awards /accolades:
- ‘Order of Rio Branco’ from the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil in February 2018.
- ‘Proud Ambassador Award 2018’ from NDN News and Seoul City Magazine of the Republic of Korea in October 2018.
- “Plaque of Appreciation” from Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) in December 2018.
- ‘2020 Friendship Ambassador Award’ from Korea Ambassador Culture Friendship Association, NDN News, and Seoul City Magazine of the Republic of Korea in September 2020.