Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury
Brief Introduction
Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury was the Foreign Advisor (Foreign Minister) of Bangladesh from 2007 to 2009. Dr Chowdhury secured a First Class in BA Honours in Political Science at the Dhaka University. He also obtained an MA and PhD in International Relations from Australian National University, Canberra. In the Central Superior Service Examination in Pakistan, he stood first in then-East Pakistan, and joined the Civil Service of Pakistan in 1969, transferring to Bangladesh in 1971 upon its independence.Throughout an official career that has spanned across four decades, Dr Chowdhury held many senior positions, including that of Foreign Minister (2007-2009); Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York (2001-2007); Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva (1996-2001); Ambassador to Qatar (1994-1996); and Special Advisor to Secretary General UNCTAD (2000).During his long stints in Geneva and New York, Dr Chowdhury had been President of the Conference on Disarmament; Chairman of World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Policy Review Body; Chairman of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development; Chairman of the UN Information Committee; Chairman of the UN Second (Economic) Committee; Chairman of the UN Population and Development Commission; Chairman of the UN Committee for Social Development; Vice President of the UN General Assembly; Vice Chairman of the Human Rights Commission; and Vice Chairman of the UNICEF Governing Board.Dr Chowdhury has also been actively associated with the UN Reforms process as a Facilitator appointed by the President of the UN General Assembly. He had also successfully conducted negotiations on the principle of ‘Responsibility to Protect'. Dr Chowdhury's contribution to global diplomacy was recognised by the New York City Council when, in a Proclamation in 2003, Dr Chowdhury was named "one of the world's leading diplomatic leaders." He was also awarded a Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by the Pope. Dr Chowdhury's area of interest and expertise include the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) disarmament; and UN issues such as peace keeping and social and economic development. His current research is on South Asian issues.Dr Chowdhury has attended and chaired numerous international conferences connected with the UN, WTO, UNCTAD, NPT, CTBTO, SAARC, the Non-Aligned Movement, OIC and others. He has addressed many seminars in think-tanks and universities around the world. He has contributed articles on international relations and economic development issues in a number of journals and newspapers.
Area of Interest and Expertise
South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, disarmament, UN Issues including Peace-Keeping, and social and economic development.
Current Research
South Asian Issues
Publications
Articles in Journals
1) ‘Prehistory’ of the Bangladeshi Nationalism and a Theory of the Tripartite Balance (Asian Affairs, Vol IV November-December 1982) 2) Strategy of a Small-Power in a Subsystem: Bangladeshi’s External Relations (Australian Outlook Vol 34, No 1, April 1980)
Reports and Policy Papers
1) Tackling Battlefield Asymmetries - Changing Tactics in Emerging Insurgencies (ISAS Insights 72, 18 June 2009)2) The Roots of Bangladeshi National Identity - Their Impact on State Behaviour (ISAS Working Paper 63, 10 June 2009)3) Post-Election India - How the Neighbours View the Elephant (ISAS Insights 68, 22 May 2009)4) The Sorrows of Swat and the Mayhem in the Malakand (ISAS Insights 66, 19 May 2009)5) The Malaise in Myanmar - What is to be done? (ISAS Insights 62, 8 May 2009)6) The Sri Lanka Situation and the Principle of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ (ISAS Insights 61, 30 April 2009)7) The Maldives - Paradise in Peril? (ISAS Brief 105, 28 April 2009)8) The South Asian Nuclear Genie Out of The Bottle, it can be useful (ISAS Brief 102, 13 April 2009)9) The New Bangladesh Government - The Road Ahead (ISAS Insights 59, 9 April 2009)10) A Method in the Dragon's Moods:Why China Behaves as it Does?' (ISAS Working Paper No. 75, 21 July 2009)11) Myanmar:Effecting Positive Changes (ISAS Insight No. 82, 24 August 2009)12) India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh: 'Trilateralism' in South Asia. (ISAS Brief No. 129, 16 September 2009)13) Non-Proliferation versus Disarmament: A Destabilising Dichotomy. (ISAS Working Paper No. 94, 21 October 2009)14) Towards a World Without Nuclear Weapons: Can 2010 be a Year of Hope? (ISAS Insight No.86, 9 December 2009)15)Hasina's Visit to India and Emerging Indo-Bangla Relations: Implications for the Future (ISAS Brief No. 149, 18 January 2010)16)The'Free Market' and 'Social Concerns': 'Asian Values' and 'Walking on Two Legs'(ISAS Brief No. 152, 29 January 2010)17)India and Pakistan: Breaking the Ice (ISAS Insight No. 92, 4 March 2010).
Articles for the Media
Singapore Newspapers :1) Collaboration, Only Way to Defuse Tensions (Straits Times, 11 May 2009)2) How Neighbours See the Elephant (Straits Times, 29 May 2009)3) Rising threat of the many-headed ‘netwars’ (Straits Times, 25 June 2009)4) Does the 21st century belong to Asia? (Straits Times, 6 July 2009)5) A method in the Dragon's shifting mood (Straits Times, 17 July 2009)6) Between the devil and the deep blue sea (Business Times, 6 August 2009)7)Transforming conflict to harmony in South Asia (Business Times, 26 November 2009)
Participation in Conferences
Dr Chowdhury has attended and chaired numerous international conferences connected with the UN, WTO, UNCTAD, NPT, CTBTO, SAARC, Non-Aligned Movement, OIC and others. He has addressed many seminars in think-tanks and universities around the world. He has contributed articles on International Relations and Economic Development issues in a number of journals and newspapers.
1554 visitors have viewed Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury's profile Last updated on 6 March 2010, 12:50 am
