Dhaka, 7 July 2026 (PR) - Dr. Fahmida Khanam has assumed charge as the Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Her appointment was made through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on 6 July 2026, assigning the Ministry’s Additional Secretary, Dr. Fahmida Khanam, to serve as Acting Secretary.
Dr. Fahmida is a distinguished public administrator, environmental expert, and policy strategist. A member of the 17th Bangladesh Civil Service (Administration) Cadre, she has served with distinction in a wide range of key government institutions throughout her career, including the field administration, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Defence, the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and the Department of Environment. Prior to assuming her current responsibilities, she served as the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
She earned her Bachelor’s (Honours) and Master’s degrees in Geography from Jahangirnagar University. She later obtained a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Victoria University, Australia, and a PhD in Environmental Policy and Planning from the University of Melbourne.
Dr. Fahmida has played a significant role in representing Bangladesh in international environmental diplomacy and global environmental governance. She currently serves as the elected Vice-President for the Asia-Pacific Region on the Implementation and Compliance Committee of the Basel Convention, with a tenure extending until the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP-18) in 2027. She is also the elected Bureau Member representing the Asia-Pacific Region on the Executive Committee of the Minamata Convention, serving until the Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2027. In addition, she serves as the National Focal Point on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh for several international environmental conventions and multilateral environmental processes.
Upon assuming office, Dr. Fahmida expressed her commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to strengthen environmental protection, ecosystem management, and Bangladesh’s efforts to address the impacts of climate change through collaborative and sustainable initiatives.
