Biography

Iftekharuzzaman (Iftekhar Zaman), PhD in Economics, is the Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). Before joining TIB in September 2004, he held various leadership positions such as Executive Director of Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (1991-2004), Executive Director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies in Colombo, Sri Lanka (1995-1999), and Senior Research Fellow and Research Director of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (1982-1995).

Dr. Zaman holds a Bachelor's degree with Honours in Economics from the University of Dhaka, a Master's degree from the Academy of Economics in Wroclaw, and a PhD in Economics from the Central School of Planning and Statistics in Warsaw. He also worked as a post-doctoral fellow in the International Relations Department of the University of Tokyo. In his student years, he achieved the distinction of securing first place in the HSC examination of the Humanities Group of the Jessore Education Board in 1968.

In 2008, Dr. Zaman became the first Bangladeshi to be elected to the International Board of Directors of Transparency International and was re-elected for a second term in 2012 and a third term in 2015. During his time on the Board, he has served on several committees, including the Ethics Committee, Audit Committee, Finance Committee, and Saving Anticorruption Fighters Efforts (SAFE) Committee. He is currently a member of the Amalia Awards Committee 2019 of TI. TI has called upon him to provide expert support on addressing governance challenges in several TI chapters in the Asia-Pacific region. He is a frequent speaker and resource person in various public and non-governmental institutions and national and international forums. As the head of TIB, Dr. Zaman oversees research and advocacy initiatives that have contributed to legal, policy, and institutional reforms to strengthen governance and Bangladesh's anti-corruption infrastructure.

Dr. Zaman is also a Trustee of the Bangladesh Freedom Foundation, a Member of the International Commission on the Chittagong Hill Tracts and International Research Committee of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo, and a founder-Core Group Member of the Citizens Platform for SDGs in Bangladesh.

In recognition of his leadership in advocating against corruption and promoting transparency and good governance, Dr. Zaman was awarded the first Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA) Award in May 2015. This award acknowledged his role in catalysing institutional, legal, and policy reforms at the national level and promoting participatory social accountability at the institutional level, engaging volunteers, particularly youth, in Bangladesh.

Dr. Zaman's current areas of interest and expertise include governance, anti-corruption, people's engagement, social accountability, politics, development, South Asian inter-state relations, security, and cooperation. He has published widely on these subjects both in Bangladesh and internationally.

Register of Interests