DR. MD. ABDUL KARIM
DIRECTOR
Dr. Md. Abdul Karim is a distinguished former Principal Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh, with an illustrious career spanning over 46 years in civil service, field administration, foreign service, corporate leadership, and development sectors. He holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree from the University of Chittagong (First Class), a Master of Social Sciences (M.S.S.) in Development Administration from the University of Birmingham, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Dhaka.
Throughout his extensive career, Dr. Karim has held several key positions in the Bangladesh government, serving as Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Commerce, Fisheries and Livestock, Internal Resources Division (IRD) of the Ministry of Finance, and Bridges Division of the Ministry of Communications. He also served as Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) before assuming the role of Principal Secretary, being the senior-most Secretary at the time of his appointment. His early civil service journey began in 1979 with the Bangladesh Civil Service, where he worked as a Magistrate, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Cantonment Executive Officer, Military Estates Officer, and Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments (DGML&C). His international experience includes serving as Economic/Commercial Counsellor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Brussels.
Beyond government service, Dr. Karim has made significant contributions to the corporate and development sectors. He has served as Managing Director of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Senior Adviser of BRAC, Chairman of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd., Adviser of Banglalink, and Chairman of IPDC Finance. He is actively engaged in various social and educational initiatives, serving as the President of the Chittagong University Alumni Association, Bangladesh Scouts Foundation, and Allama Rumi Society Bangladesh, among others. He also holds the position of Secretary General of the South East Asian Cooperation (SEACO) Foundation. His academic engagements include roles as an Advisory Board Member of the Asian University for Women (AUW), Chattogram, and Tafida Raqeeb Foundation, London. He is a Trustee Board member of A.K. Khan Foundation and International Islamic University, Chittagong.
A pioneer of innovative economic concepts, Dr. Karim played a crucial role in introducing Economic Zones, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for large projects, and the Business Initiatives Leading Development (BUILD) platform in Bangladesh. His leadership also brought reforms in law enforcement, including the establishment of Industrial Police, Community Police, Tourist Police, Model Thanas, and support centers for victims. He has been a member of several national-level boards, including Bangladesh Bank, Social Development Foundation, Joyeeta Foundation, and Small Farmers Development Foundation. He has chaired critical committees such as the ICT Task Force Executive Committee, Private Sector Infrastructure Committee (PICOM), and National Coordination Council for Export Promotion of Readymade Garments (RMG).
Internationally, Dr. Karim has represented Bangladesh at high-level meetings and conferences, including the United Nations General Assembly, LDC Summits, D-8 Summits, and UN Climate Summits (COP). He has negotiated on behalf of Bangladesh in climate adaptation and finance discussions, attending COP meetings in Copenhagen, Warsaw, Katowice, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Glasgow, and Madrid, alongside notable experts like Professor Ainun Nishat. An accomplished author and researcher, Dr. Karim has written extensively on topics such as environment and development, poverty reduction, micro-credit, sustainable economic growth, local governance, and women’s empowerment. His PhD research focused on developing a sustainable poverty reduction model for Bangladesh.
A passionate supporter of sports, Dr. Karim has led several national sports organizations, serving as President of the Bangladesh Deaf Sports Federation, Bangladesh Karate Federation, and Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation. He was also the Chef de Mission of Bangladesh’s team at the Beach Olympic Games in Phuket, Thailand. Dr. Md. Abdul Karim’s remarkable leadership, academic contributions, and commitment to sustainable development continue to inspire and drive positive change in Bangladesh and beyond.