Ambassador
Biography
H.E. Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, M.P. was born in 1943 in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. He was educated at the University of Dhaka and received B.A. Honours (1962) and M.A. (1963) Degree in Economics. He taught Economics at the same University (1964-66) before joining the erstwhile Pakistan Foreign Service (PFS) in 1966.
In his long distinguished diplomatic career, he served in various capacities at the Headquarters (Dhaka) and at Bangladesh Missions abroad which include New York (Vice-Consul, Acting Consul General), New Delhi (First Secretary, Counsellor and Deputy High Commissioner) and Beijing (Deputy Chief of Mission with the rank of an Ambassador).
Mr. Ali served as the Bangladesh Ambassador to Bhutan (1986-1990), Germany (1992-1995) with concurrent accreditation to Austria, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, Nepal (February to October 1996), and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (1996-2001) with concurrent accreditation to Ireland. In fact, Mr Ali was the first Ambassador of Bangladesh to Ireland with residence in London.
At the Headquarters, Mr. All served as a Director-General for various Wings which include Administration; International Organizations; United Nations and Economic Affairs; Policy Planning; South Asia and Human Rights. As Additional Foreign Secretary (Bilateral), he negotiated and signed the Tin Bigha Corridor Implementation Agreement with India (1992). Mr. All also negotiated the Burmese Refugees Repatriation Agreement with Myanmar in 1992.
Mr. Ali is a valiant freedom fighter and made enormous contribution in the diplomatic front of the war of liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. He worked for Bangladesh's independence in the U.S. and at the United Nations. Immediately after arriving in New York in 1968, he mobilised the Bangalee community in the United States. He joined the Bangladesh Liberation Movement in April, 1971 and was appointed as the Representative of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh at Mujibnagar in United States in May, 1971. He also acted as the Executive Assistant to Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, Chief Overseas Representative of the Mujibnagar Government and Leader of the Bangladesh Delegation to the United Nations in 1971.
Mr. Ali retired from active service in April, 2001 and joined the Awami League Party. He served as Member of the Awami League Central Election Committee in 2001. Mr. Ali was appointed as a Member of the Central Advisory Council of the Awami League (December, 2002). Later, he was appointed as Co-Chairman, Awami League Sub-Committee on International Affairs. He was elected to Bangladesh Parliament as an Awami League candidate in December, 2008 from a rural constituency in Dinajpur, a northern district of Bangladesh. He was also elected as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Ali was appointed as the Minister for Disaster Management and Relief after the establishment of a separate Ministry for Disaster Management and Relief in September, 2012.
Following the formation of the all-party election-time Government on 21 November 2013, he was appointed as the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Ali was re-appointed as the Minister for Foreign Affairs on 26 February 2014 following his election as a Member of Parliament from the same constituency in the 10th Parliamentary election held on 5 and 16 January, 2014.
Mr. Ali likes reading, enjoys music and games, especially tennis. Mr. and Mrs. Ali have two grown up sons.