As of the year 2017, who was serving as the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)?

Introduction / Context:
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an important regional organisation that includes several neighbouring countries of India. Exam questions often ask about its headquarters, founding year and current or recent Secretary Generals. Knowing who held the Secretary General post during a particular year such as 2017 can be useful in general awareness and international relations sections.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the year 2017.
• We need to identify the person who was Secretary General of SAARC at that time.
• Several political leaders from the region are listed as options.

Concept / Approach:
The Secretary General of SAARC is appointed for a fixed term and usually comes from one of the member states in rotation. During 2017, the post was held by Amjad Hussain B. Sial, a diplomat from Pakistan. The other names in the options are associated with different political roles, mainly in the context of Bangladesh or other positions, and are not linked to the Secretary Generalship of SAARC in that period.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Amjad Hussain B. Sial took over as Secretary General of SAARC in early 2017.Step 2: Recognise that Tajuddin Ahmed, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Muhammad Mansur Ali were leaders from the early political history of Bangladesh, not recent SAARC Secretaries General.Step 3: Identify Amjad Hussain B. Sial among the options as the diplomat linked directly with the SAARC post.Step 4: Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is associated with the Maldives as a former president, not with the Secretary General's office of SAARC.Step 5: Therefore, select Amjad Hussain B. Sial as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official SAARC documents and news reports from the time confirm that Amjad Hussain B. Sial assumed office in 2017 as the Secretary General. Additionally, you can verify that the other names belong to national political leadership roles rather than regional secretariat posts, which helps eliminate them.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Tajuddin Ahmed: He served as the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh and is not associated with being a SAARC Secretary General in 2017.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: He was a key leader in the creation of Bangladesh and served as its founding father, not as a SAARC Secretary General.
Muhammad Mansur Ali: Another political figure from Bangladesh, but not connected with the post mentioned in the question.
Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom: He served as President of the Maldives and is not the Secretary General of SAARC in 2017.

Common Pitfalls:
The main difficulty in such questions is confusing national political leaders with regional organisation officials. Candidates may also mistakenly select a more familiar name rather than the correct but less famous diplomat. To avoid this, create a short list of key international organisation heads, such as the Secretary General of SAARC, the Secretary General of the United Nations and the President of the World Bank, and revise it regularly.

Final Answer:
In 2017, the Secretary General of SAARC was Amjad Hussain B. Sial.