Directors Profile

Ms Shahiya Ali Manik

Director, Social Affairs

Shahiya Ali Manik joined the SAARC Secretariat on 2 November 2023, as Director, Social Affairs.

Shahiya started her career in Foreign Service in 2015, working as the Director for Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives. She was posted to the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the UN Offices in Geneva in 2019 where she worked as First Secretary coordinating all work related to the Human Rights Council. She has extensive work experience in the field of Human Rights, where she closely monitored and coordinated Maldives human rights priorities at the Human Rights Council Sessions from 2019 to 2021. Shahiya has also served as the First Secretary of Maldives Mission in London in 2018.

 

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Shahiya has worked as an assistance lecturer at the Civil Service Training Institute of Maldives where she conducted training programmes for Civil Servants, and she also worked at Maldivian Red Crescent as a Programme Field Officer. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2009 from Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA, and has completed her Master of Arts in Refugee Care from University of Essex, Colchester, UK in 2014.

 

Shahiya is married and blessed with 3 children.  


Ms. Irosha Cooray

Director, Education Security and Culture

Ms. Irosha Cooray joined the SAARC Secretariat on 01 September 2021 as Director for Education, Security and Culture.


Mr. Jamal Uddin Ahmed

Director Agriculture, Rural Development and SAARC Development Fund

Mr. Jamal Uddin Ahmed joined the SAARC Secretariat on 06 January 2021.

Mr. Ahmed is a career diplomat. Prior to joining the SAARC Secretariat, he served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh as Director (Americas), Director (Foreign Minister’s Office) and Director (SAARC). He earlier served in the Administration Wing,


Mr. Tanveer Ahmed

Director Energy, Transportation, Science & Technology

Mr. Tanveer Ahmed assumed charge of his position at SAARC Secretariat on 16 September 2020.

Mr. Tanveer Ahmed is a career diplomat who joined Pakistan Foreign Service in 2006. Prior to his appointment at the Secretariat, he was serving as Counsellor at Embassy of Pakistan, Kuwait.


Mr. Fazulrahaman Rahmani


Director, Human Resources Development and Tourism Division


Fazulrahaman Rahmani joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan in 2010. Before joining the Ministry, he was a lecturer at the Law and Political Science Faculty of Kunduz University of Afghanistan. 


Ms. Ishrat Jahan
Director Agriculture and Rural Development

Ms. Ishrat Jahan joined Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs) in 2003. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, she was a member of Bangladesh Civil Service (Administration) and served as a Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner for more than two years.