Nazneen new executive director of CPD

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has appointed Nazneen Ahmed as its executive director, effective from September this year, according to a press release issued yesterday.

She will replace Fahmida Khatun, the incumbent executive director of the think tank.

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Fahmida will assume the role of distinguished fellow at CPD from September 1. She has been serving the non-government organisation as executive director for nine and a half years.

Prior to joining CPD, Nazneen served at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the country economist at UNDP Bangladesh and then as a policy adviser at the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific in New York.

Nazneen was a researcher at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), where she completed a 25-year career after joining as a research associate.

Her research and policy interests span a wide range of macroeconomic and development issues, including international trade, industry and employment, governance, gender equality, social protection and inclusive growth, according to the statement.

Fahmida will join Prof Rounaq Jahan, Debapriya Bhattacharya and Prof Mustafizur Rahman, who are serving as distinguished fellows of the organisation. Debapriya and Mustafizur previously served as executive directors of CPD.

Fahmida has been associated with CPD since 2003 and has served as its executive director since February 2017. Under her leadership, between February 2017 and August 2026, the scope, diversity and quality of CPD’s research programmes expanded significantly.

Fahmida spearheaded major improvements in CPD’s physical and technological infrastructure, strengthened staff development, research capacity, publication quality, digitalisation and institutional governance, placing CPD on a solid foundation for its future advancement.