Ashfaqur Rahman
Ashfaqur Rahman | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1947 Dacca, Bengal Province, British India (now Dhaka, Bangladesh) |
| Died | 3 March 2018 (aged 70) Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Education | University of Dhaka (BA, MA in Economics) |
| Occupation | Diplomat, columnist |
| Known for | Former Ambassador to China, columnist |
| Awards | Chancellor Gold Medal (1967) |
Ashfaqur Rahman (c. 1947 – 3 March 2018) was a Bangladeshi diplomat, columnist, and former civil servant. He served as a career diplomat for 36 years in various key roles, including as Bangladesh's Ambassador to China and Germany, and High Commissioner to Singapore.
Early life and education
[edit]Rahman was born in Dhaka.[1] He earned both his honours and master's degrees in economics from the University of Dhaka.[1] He was awarded the Chancellor's gold medal in 1967 for his academic excellence.[1]
Career
[edit]Rahman began his career as a journalist, then became a teacher, and later joined the civil service after passing the Pakistan Civil Service Examination in 1970.[1] After the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971, he joined the foreign service branch of the Bangladesh Civil Service.[2]
Until 1978, Rahman worked in various ministries of the Government of Bangladesh and at the Prime Minister's Office.[1] He then served in several Bangladeshi missions abroad, including in London, Tehran, Stockholm, and Moscow.[1]
From 1996 to 2001, Rahman was the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Singapore.[1] He later served as Bangladesh's Ambassador to Germany until 2003.[1] He was appointed the Ambassador of Bangladesh to China on 23 November 2003.[1] Bangladesh recalled Rahman in 2004 for consultations to address tensions caused by Taiwan's approval to open a liaison office in Dhaka.[3] The recall aims to clarify Bangladesh's stance and assess China's position while reaffirming its "one China" policy.[3] Rahman served as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to China until 4 May 2007.[1]
After retirement, Rahman was an active columnist, regularly contributing articles to various newspapers on national and international issues.[1]
Death
[edit]Rahman died of a heart attack on 3 March 2018 at Apollo Hospital Dhaka, aged 70.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Diplomat Ashfaqur Rahman passes away". The Daily Star. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ "Former ambassador Ashfaqur Rahman dies at 70". Bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ a b "MOFA wants answers about recalling incident - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 2004-03-12. Retrieved 2025-06-05.