Khulna BNP President Appointed KDA Chairman in Rare Shift to Civilian Leadership

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

S.M. Shafiqul Alam, president of the Khulna city unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been appointed as the 32nd chairman of the Khulna Development Authority (KDA), marking a significant shift in the organization’s leadership structure. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Thursday confirming the appointment, which ends a nearly three-decade streak of military officers leading the agency.

Under the terms of the Khulna Development Authority Act, 2018, Alam has been appointed to the grade-2 position on a contractual basis for a one-year term. The appointment is contingent upon his resignation from all other professional, business, and organizational affiliations, whether public or private. Concurrent with this announcement, the ministry issued a separate directive recalling the outgoing chairman, Brigadier General Jahangir Hossain, and reverting his services to the Armed Forces Division.

The transition ends an era of military-led administration that began on August 4, 1998. For the past 28 years, the position was held exclusively by officers of the rank of Brigadier or Brigadier General on deputation. The last civilian to serve in the role was Khondaker Abu Md. Abdullah, a member of the BCS administration cadre, who held the post prior to the shift in 1998.

Senior Bangladeshi diplomat Ferdousi Shahriar passes away at 54

Read More

In his initial response to the appointment, Alam described the role as a reflection of the trust and expectations of Khulna’s residents. He expressed a commitment to transforming the city into a modern, planned, and eco-friendly urban center that is conducive to investment.

Highlighting his priorities, the incoming chairman emphasized the need for a governance model rooted in honesty, transparency, and public accountability. Alam stated that he intends to focus on long-term infrastructure development, mitigating the city’s chronic waterlogging issues, and enhancing essential municipal services to ensure a more livable environment for future generations.