Directors Profile

Ishrat Jahan

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. 


Prior to her current appointment at the SAARC Secretariat Ms. Jahan was the Director of the SAARC and BIMSTEC Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh since October 2016. She also served as the Director of the United Nations Wing, Deputy Chief of Protocol and Director of the Foreign Service Academy during September 2014 to October 2016 period. A career diplomat, Ms. Jahan served in Bangladesh Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands during December 2011 to September 2014 as the First Secretary/Counsellor and in Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur during April 2009 to December 2011 as Second Secretary/First Secretary. She also served in the United Nations Wing, Protocol Wing and South East Asia Wings in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka as an Assistant Secretary/Senior Assistant Secretary during 2003-2009 period.


Ms. Jahan received her Bachelor of Science with Honours and Master of Science in Soil Science from the University of Dhaka. She also obtained Master of International Affairs (MIA) from Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia. She also successfully completed several local and international training programmes in Asia, Europe and Australia. Her key areas of interest are sustainable development, migration, regional cooperation, climate Change and environment related issues.


Ms. Jahan is married and blessed with a son.