Dr Sultan Ahmed is a senior development administrator, environmental policy expert, and water resources governance expert with over 31 years of distinguished service in the Government of Bangladesh. He holds a PhD in Water Resource Development (river–floodplain ecohydrology) from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and brings a rare combination of technical expertise, policy leadership, and high-level administrative experience.

He has served in several of the country’s most critical leadership positions, including Secretary of the Power Division, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), Director General of the Department of Environment, and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and led major national institutions responsible for water resource management, environmental regulation, urban development, power sector governance, and sustainable infrastructure development.

Dr Ahmed is nationally recognized for his expertise in environmental impact assessment (EIA), climate change adaptation, water and land governance, sustainable urban planning, and energy policy. As Convener of the Environmental Clearance Committee of the Department of Environment, he reviewed 580+ EIA reports and issued over 2,000 environmental and site clearances for large-scale power, transport, and infrastructure projects and industries.

A key milestone of his career was his instrumental role in establishing the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) as an independent public trust and center of excellence. He also played a pivotal role from the inception of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP 2100), contributing to its policy framework, governance design, and international collaboration with the Government of the Netherlands. He has solid experience, as Project Director, of implementation of Government of Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and UNDP funded projects.  

Internationally, Dr. Ahmed has represented Bangladesh in UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COP21, COP22, COP24) and regional cooperation platforms on climate change, water, and energy. He has worked as a World Bank short-term consultant, international evaluation consultant, and technical advisor on delta planning, urban resilience, and institutional reforms.

Academically, he holds an MEng in Water Resource Development from IIT Roorkee (India) and a BSc in Civil Engineering from BUET, and has undertaken advanced professional training in Thailand, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Japan. He has served as an Adjunct Professor, published widely on water resources management, ecohydrology, and climate policy, and is a SAWA Fellow and Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed is widely respected for his integrity, strategic vision, and ability to bridge science, policy, and governance in advancing interdisciplinarity and sustainable development.

Sultan Ahmed, PhD

Director, Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM)