Toufiq Islam Shatil
Toufiq Islam Shatil (born 8 March 1974) is a Bangladeshi diplomat and the current Ambassador of Bangladesh to South Korea.[1][2] He is a career foreign service officer and a senior member of the Bangladesh Foreign Service. Shatil joined the Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs cadre) in May 2003 and has held various diplomatic positions both in Bangladesh and abroad. From 28 July 2023 to 20 February 2025, he served as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Toufiq Islam Shatil was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[1] He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), in 1999 and 2006. In 2004–2005, he attended the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in Strasbourg, France. He also completed the National Defence Course at the National Defence College in Dhaka in 2020.[1]
Career
[edit]Toufiq Islam Shatil is a seasoned Bangladeshi career diplomat who joined the Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs Cadre) in May 2003.[1] Over the course of more than two decades, he has held key diplomatic positions both in Dhaka and abroad.
From 2006 to 2008, Shatil was posted to the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York. He later served at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Amman, Jordan (2008–2013) and at the Permanent Mission in Geneva (2015–2019)[1]
In Dhaka, he held various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director (East Asia & Pacific) from 2013 to 2015, Director General (Foreign Service Academy) from August 2019 to January 2020, Director General (Americas) from December 2020 to March 2022, and Director General (United Nations Wing) from March 2022 to July 2023.[1]
In 2022, as Director General (Americas), he spoke at a BILIA seminar on Bangladesh–US relations. Addressing the issue of US sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), he emphasized the need for continued engagement with the United States to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation.[3]
In 2023, while serving as Director General (UN Wing), Shatil led the Bangladesh delegation in the country’s first official consultation with China on multilateral human rights issues. The meeting, held in Dhaka, focused on UN Human Rights Council cooperation and the situation of the Rohingya people.[4][5]
On 7 December 2023, he represented Bangladesh at the 22nd Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, delivering the country’s official statement in support of international justice and accountability.[6]
From 28 July 2023 to 20 February 2025, he served as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York.[7]
In early 2025, Shatil was appointed as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Republic of South Korea.[8] In this role, he has worked to expand cooperation in education, trade, and cultural exchange. On 17 May 2025, he announced new initiatives to support Bangladeshi students seeking higher education opportunities in South Korea.[9]
On 5 May 2025, he met with representatives of the international peace organization HWPL at the Bangladesh Embassy in Seoul. During the meeting, he expressed support for HWPL’s peace and human rights initiatives, including efforts to promote the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) as a UN resolution.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Toufiq Islam Shatil is married to Kazi Sayma Hoque. They have two children.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bangladesh to the Republic of Korea". seoul.mofa.gov.bd. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Independence & National Day of Bangladesh marked in Seoul". newsarticleinsiders. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Experts call for enhanced Bangladesh-US liaison to lift sanctions on RAB". The Business Standard. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh, China to enhance cooperation in human rights domain". Prothomalo. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ Report, Star Digital (15 March 2023). "Bangladesh, China to enhance multilateral ties through consultations". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Statement by Mr. Toufiq Islam Shatil..." (PDF). asp.icc-cpi.int. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "21 Bangladesh missions to get new ambassadors". Prothomalo. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "যুক্তরাষ্ট্র-চীনসহ ২১ মিশনে নতুন রাষ্ট্রদূত..." Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh Mission to boost opportunities for students in South Korea". BSS. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh envoy to Korea voices support for HWPL's peace initiatives". Risingbd. Retrieved 7 July 2025.