Nasima Begum

Nasima Begum is a retired secretary and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh, with the rank of a judge of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.[1][2] She was the first woman to head the commission.[3] She was a member of the Bangladesh Planning Commission.[4]

Early life

Begum was born in 1960 in Munshiganj District, East Pakistan, Pakistan.[3] She did her bachelor's degree and masters in Islamic history and culture at the University of Dhaka.[5]

Career

Begum joined the admin cadre of Bangladesh Civil Service in 1983.[3]

In 2003, Begum was the deputy secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.[3] She was the secretary of the Bangladesh Freedom Fighter Welfare Trust.[5] She served in the Local Government Division, Ministry of Establishment, and the Ministry of Public Administration.[3] As part of the Geological Survey of Bangladesh, she was part of the investigation committee that examined the impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on Bangladesh.[6]

Begum was promoted to joined secretary in 2009 and appointed to the Ministry of Social Welfare.[3][7] In 2012, she was made the director general of Department of Social Services.[3]

In 2017, Begum was the joint secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.[8] She was the Additional Secretary to the Cabinet Division.[9] In January 2019, Begum retired as the senior secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.[3] She gave Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina an UNICEF award for her contribution to ending child marriage.[10]

In September 2019, Begum was appointed chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh replacing Kazi Reazul Hoque.[11][12] She was given the rank and status of a judge of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.[11] She identified legal restrictions on the commission preventing investigation of law enforcement personnel as a drawback.[13] She established an online complaint system for her commission.[14] She was replaced by Kamal Uddin Ahmed as chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh.[15] Civil society members criticised the appointment of retired civil servants like Begum and Uddin as chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh.[16]

In 2022, Begum was a member of the Bangladesh Planning Commission.[17]

Personal life

Begum is married to M Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division.[3]

References

1. "Nasima Begum made NHRC chief". The Daily Star. 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
2. "Ex-secy Nasima Begum made NHRC chairman". Prothomalo. 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
3. "Ex-secretary Nasima Begum first woman to head National Human Rights Commission". Bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
4. "Planning Minister stresses citizen engagement in public procurement | Business". BSS. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
5. "Nasima Begum ndc" (PDF). Ministry of Social Welfare. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
6. "Shallow sea floor saved Bangladesh". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
7. "President declares elderly people as 'senior citizens'". The Daily Star. 2014-11-27. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
8. "Govt moves to boost exports of diversified jute products". The Daily Star. 2017-04-02. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
9. "Six eco-friendly power plants get go-ahead". The Daily Star. 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
10. "PM receives two UNICEF awards for campaign against early marriage". The Daily Star. 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
11. "Nasima Begum Human Rights Commission's new chief". The Business Standard. 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
12. "Former senior secretary Nasima Begum made NHRC chairman". Daily Sun. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
13. "NHRC bound by legal constraints". The Daily Star. 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
14. "NHRC to launch online system for lodging complaints". The Daily Star. 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
15. "NHRC mulls deal with Qatar counterpart". New Age. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
16. "NHRC 'retirement home for bureaucrats'". The Daily Star. 2019-10-06. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
17. "Bangladesh, South Korea year-long celebrations kick off". The Daily Star. 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2025-01-01.