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Appointments - February 2010 Bangladesh Akramul Qader became ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States on Nov. 4. A career diplomat with a cabinet rank of state minister, Ambassador Qader previously served as the high commissioner of Bangladesh from April 1999 to 2002 to South Africa, with concurrent accreditation as high commissioner to Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho, as well as ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, with concurrent accreditation to Cambodia, from 1996 to April 1999. He has also served as permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and as director-general of multilateral economic affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka from 1994 to 1996. Additional postings include director of the Foreign Secretary’s Office and director of the South East Asia Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka (1984-86). He also worked briefly in the Personnel and the Finance Directorates of the Ministry. In addition, Ambassador Qader served as deputy chief of mission/ambassador at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Brussels, with concurrent accreditation to the European Commission, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (1990-94), as well as counselor and later deputy chief of mission in the High Commission of Bangladesh in New Delhi. He has also held diplomatic assignments in Pakistan (1981-84), Myanmar (1976-81) and the former U.S.S.R. (1974-76). Ambassador Qader — who worked briefly as a college lecturer in the 1960s — joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the government of Pakistan in 1968 as a section officer, later joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh in 1972 on his return from Pakistan. He holds a master’s degree in Islamic history from Dhaka University. He also attended a specialized course in organization and methods at the National Institute of Public Administration in Dhaka in 1970 and Foreign Service Training Course in Australia in 1973. Ambassador Qader is married with two children. Namibia Marinda Hess assumed the position of third secretary on Nov. 1, replacing Ellen Beukes, who departed the post Nov. 30.