Q.A.M.A. Rahim of Bangladesh has been appointed the new Secretary General of the seven nation SAARC, sources close to the organization said.

He will succeed Sri Lanka’s Nihal Rodrigo who was to retire on New Year’s eve.

Rahim was Director Bangladesh during his first stint with the organization; seven member nations appoint a director to the regional body.

But Rodrigo got a 10 day extension to oversee the delayed 11th summit of the organization being held in Kathmandu from January 4 to 6.

SAARC chairman Sri Lanka requested a short extension of the tenure of the organization’s Secretary General whose three-year term expires December 31.

Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives are members of the organization.