Biography

Iftekharuzzaman, (Iftekhar Zaman), PhD in Economics, is the Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). Before joining TIB in September 2004, he was Executive Director of Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (1991-2004), Executive Director of Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka (1995-99) and Senior Research Fellow & Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (1982-95).

He was the Head of the Commission for Reform of the Anti-Corruption Commission formed the Interim Government of Bangladesh. In the same capacity he was also a member of the National Consensus Commission.

Iftekhar had his graduation with Honours in Economics from University of Dhaka, Masters from Academy of Economics, Wroclaw, and PhD in Economics from Central School of Planning and Statistics in Warsaw. He worked for a year as a post-doctoral fellow in International Relations Department of University of Tokyo.

He was an elected member of the International Board of Directors of Transparency International in 2008, re-elected in 2012 for the second and in 2015 for the third term. Iftekhar was the first individual from the global South to be elected as Chair of the International Committee of the Washington DC-based Council on Foundations. He also served as Chair of the Governing Council of the then Manila-based Asia-Pacific Philanthropy Consortium; Core Group Member of the Southampton-based Program for Promoting Nuclear Non-proliferation in South Asia; and International Research Committee of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo.

He is a founding member of the Core Group of the Citizens Platform for SDGs in Bangladesh, Human Rights Forum Bangladesh and Right to Information Forum Bangladesh. Among his former honorary involvements were Chair of the Acid Survivors Foundation, Bangladesh Freedom Foundation, Trustee of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Bishwo Shihityo Kendro (World Literary Centre) and the International CHT Commission.

Main areas of Iftekhar’s professional interest are governance, anti-corruption, people’s engagement, politics, development, security and cooperation.

Register of Interests