Diplomatic Correspondent: The government has formally divided the responsibilities of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obayed Islam, assigning them separate areas of work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.According to a circular issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, August 23, Humayun Kabir will serve as State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1, while Shama Obayed Islam will serve as State Minister for Foreign Affairs-2.Both ministers will assist the Foreign Minister in carrying out their assigned responsibilities under his direction and supervision.Humayun Kabir to handle bilateral and multilateral affairsAs State Minister-1, Humayun Kabir will be responsible primarily for bilateral and multilateral affairs. His portfolio will also include matters concerning non-resident Bangladeshis.He will additionally deal with any other issues assigned to him by the Foreign Minister.The broad portfolio places him at the centre of Bangladesh's relations with individual countries as well as its engagement with regional and international organisations and forums.Shama Obayed gets human rights, climate and other portfoliosState Minister-2 Shama Obayed Islam has been assigned a wide range of issues, including the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, human rights, research and innovation, environment and climate change.Her responsibilities will also cover the creative economy, graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, information and communication technology (ICT), the law of the sea and marine resources, global health diplomacy, and cultural and sports diplomacy.These areas encompass a number of emerging and strategically important issues for Bangladesh, particularly climate change, the country's LDC graduation process, marine resources and global health cooperation.Prime Minister approves distributionThe ministry's circular said the Prime Minister has given approval to the division of responsibilities between the two state ministers.The new arrangement is expected to allow the two ministers to focus on clearly defined areas while supporting the Foreign Minister in conducting the country's foreign affairs.The division also reflects the increasingly diverse nature of Bangladesh's diplomatic priorities, which now extend beyond traditional bilateral relations to include climate diplomacy, human rights, technology, health, the blue economy, culture and sports.