About Me
I can do that help the people and the organizations
I am a seasoned human rights and digital rights professional with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of policy, governance, and advocacy. My work has focused on promoting freedom of expression, access to information, gender equality, and the protection of civic space across Bangladesh, South Asia, and the global stage.
Throughout my career, I have held senior leadership roles in renowned international organizations, including ARTICLE 19, Amnesty International, and Oxfam. I have led large-scale programs, influenced national and international policy reforms, and collaborated with governments, civil society, and multilateral institutions to drive meaningful and sustainable change.
My expertise spans strategic leadership, program design and management, legal and policy analysis, and high-level advocacy. I have successfully secured and managed international funding, led multidisciplinary teams, and delivered impactful initiatives addressing digital rights, media freedom, and social justice.
I am also a recipient of the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) and the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and Rule of Law, recognizing my contributions to advancing human rights and freedom of expression.
Driven by a commitment to equity and justice, I continue to work towards building inclusive, transparent, and rights-based societies—leveraging technology, policy, and collaboration as key enablers of change.
Core Skills
Human Rights & Digital Rights Advocacy
Policy Development & Legal Analysis
Strategic Leadership & Program Management
Governance, Accountability & Transparency
Gender Equality & Social Inclusion
Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy
Research, Reporting & Publication
About Me
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
1) Advisory Director, (Lead Access to Information and Digital Rights) SoMaSHTe (Society for Media and Suitable Human Communication Techniques) (2020-till now). Role includes advice and guidance for the growth of access to information and digital rights. Key achievements include fundraising from Counterpart International/USAID for the project UNMUKTO: Enhancing enabling space for online expression in Bangladesh and implementation of the one year project as the Chief Technical Executive (CTE) January -December 2020; Key activities of the project included the establishment of a high profile parliamentary caucus, monitoring the implementation of the Digital Security Act (DSA), 2018, production of an agenda for reform on the DSA in consultation with parliamentarians, civil society and advocacy with lawmakers, state agencies and international community; providing digital safety training to journalists and NGO staff. (2022).
2) General Secretary (2019 July —2020 June ) and Acting Executive Director. Ain-O Salish Kendra ( October – December 2019) Key responsibilities included standing in for the Executive Director while on leave, responsibilities included managing staff, programme and financial management and representation. Key achievement included fundraising and managing the UNWOMEN project MAITREE: Promoting women’s participation in peace building and promoting social cohesion project to promote peace building amongst the Rohingya refugees and local communities,
3) Regional Director, ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh and South Asia (November 2011 – October 2018): Responsibilities included leading the growth and development of A19 Bangladesh and South Asia, formulation of country and regional strategies, development, fundraising and managing and the implementation of several projects including on online and offline protection, freedom of religion and belief and gender based violence, financial management, strengthening A19’s presence and profile in Bangladesh, region and globally and impact of interventions. For a decade managed human rights projects speaking out as an advocate for the promotion of freedom of expression and the protection of journalists, social media communicators. Key outcomes: publication of ARTICLE 19’s flag-ship annual country reports on FoE in Bangladesh from 2012-2018, acceptance of the Bangladesh government of over twenty recommendations from Bangladesh Universal Periodic Report at the 3rd Cycle of the UPR Review; working the International office review of the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 in Bangladesh and legal reforms to the draconian section 57 by the government as a result of our advocacy; organisation and review of the National Human Rights Commissions’ work in the region with Commissioners and civil society at a regional meeting held in Nepal; profiling the Rabat Plan of Action in Bangladesh at the OHCHR level with the international office; ensured the registration of the Bangladesh office for 10 years; and two key achievements have been the MBE (Queen’s Honour’s List, 2017) received by the RD in 2017 and the Franco-German Prize (2016) for Human Rights and Rule of Law.
4) Country Director, ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh (February 2008 – October 2011): Responsible for establishing and managing the Bangladesh country programme; Key Achievements: Lead and managed a four year DFID supported project on , “Access to Information for Greater Participation and Government Accountability” in partnership with CSOs media, government and donors.
5) Deputy Programme Director, International Mobilisation Programme. Amnesty International, International Secretariat, London, UK (November 2005– November 2007): Responsible for the provision of core services to all Amnesty sections, structures (s/s) and groups, as member of management team coordinating the design and implementation of mobilisation programme and managing a portion of the operational budget. Negotiated MoUs with Croatia and Ghana,
6) Research Programme Manager, Humanitarian Accountability Project, Cambodia (Delegate, International Federation of Red Cross) (July 2002-March 2003): Managed field research programme on agency accountability to beneficiaries and communities of humanitarian assistance. Key Achievements: Recruited, trained, managed a team of 20 national and international researchers and represented HAP at various levels including the Cambodian government, international agencies working in the region, donors and academia.
7) Policy Adviser (Gender, Learning and Advocacy), Gender and Learning Team, Policy Department (Oxfam (Great Britain) (January, 1997 – March, 2000): Responsibilities included providing policy advice and support to corporate and country programme managers on the implementation of Oxfam’s policies on gender and development, learning and advocacy: Key Achievements: Supported strategic planning, programme reviews and evaluations in Bangladesh, Srilanka, Philippines, Tanzania and Mexico; Wrote policy papers on gender and poverty, humanitarian crisis and diversity, designed and facilitated workshops and meetings with country managers, regional adviser in developing the strategic business plansfor South and East Asiaregion, including Bangladesh and Philippines
8) Gender and Social Development Adviser, Department of Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance, Oxfam (Great Britain) (November 1994 – January 1997): Responsible for promoting learning and providing specialist advise and support to Oxfam teams and partners on rehabilitation projects and protection of women, children and vulnerable refugees, IDPs and disaster affected communities; Key Achievements (a) the evaluation of UNHCR funded Bhutanese Refugee Support Programme in Southeast Nepal with special focus on gender representation, protection and refugee participation issues; (b) Bangladesh Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Programme in Northern districts of Bangladesh. (c) Participatory review of Water, Sanitation and Health Education Programme for Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh and a participatory survey on the status of protection of refugee women.
9) Macarthur Fellow Harvard University, Center for Population and Development Studies , Boston MA, USA (September 1993 – July 1994): Undertook research on women’s health and reproductive rights, allocation of resources for reproductive health programmes and developed and secured funding for a project on reproductive rights awareness of adolescent girls in the Ibadan province of Nigeria; Contributed to technical discussions to WEDO led NGO Coalition at the PrepComm meetings for the UN, ICPD Conference.
10) Law Associate Dr. Kamal Hossain & Associates, Dhaka (1987-1992): Responsible for the firms practice on legal assistance to NGOs, advised on urban poor issues and represented: 80,000 residents of a Dhaka slum, facing illegal eviction activists, garment workers, union leaders and children detained under preventive detention laws; Secured Ford Foundation support for a project on women and children detainees in the prisons of Dhaka, with the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA).