In the United States, another achievement to boast about for Bangladeshis came on Friday, March 22nd. On this day, the White House announced that M. Osman Siddique, a Bangladeshi-born former diplomat, and educator, has been appointed as a member of the National Security Education Board.
Leading this board as chairman is the United States Secretary of Defense. Its permanent members include the Secretary of State, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Commerce, Director of National Intelligence, and the Chair of the National Committee on Humanity.
President Joe Biden made this appointment. Along with Dr. Osman Siddique, six other high-profile individuals have been appointed as members of this prestigious board. However, their appointment is not a government job; it entails responsibilities of high advisory capacity.
Upon receiving the appointment, Dr. Osman Siddique commented in a statement sent to NRBC TV, "I feel deeply honored that President Joe Biden has appointed me as a member of the highest council of such a prestigious organization."
Dr. M. Osman Siddique is a former diplomat who is currently involved in American politics. In 1999, President Clinton appointed him as ambassador to the island nations of Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Nauru. During the crisis in Fiji in 2000, Dr. Osman played a special role in protecting democracy and facilitating the country's restoration. He was the first American Muslim diplomat to serve as a mission chief in another country.
Osman Siddique came to the United States for higher education nearly fifty years ago. After obtaining an MBA degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, he joined a Fortune 500 company. In a short span of time, he transformed into a successful entrepreneur and emerged as a successful businessman.
He then became active in Democratic Party politics under Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA). In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Siddique as a trustee to the Board of Governors of the East West Center's in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, Dr. Siddique serves as a skillful advisor to several multinational organizations. Additionally, he works as a non-resident senior fellow on multiple boards including the Atlantic Council.
Born in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, Dr. Osman Siddique currently resides in the McLean area of Virginia in the United States. He is the younger brother of Dr. Osman Faruque, a former Minister of Education of Bangladesh. Their father, Dr. Osman Gani, was a renowned scientist in the subcontinent and served as the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University and the founding VC of Mymensingh Agricultural University.
