PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Sheikh Abdur Rashid
Sheikh Abdur Rashid
শেখ আব্দুর রশিদ
25th Cabinet Secretary of Bangladesh
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 14 October 2024
President	Mohammed Shahabuddin
Prime Minister	Muhammad Yunus (acting)
Preceded by	Md. Mahbub Hossain
Personal details
Born	5 May 1957 (age 67); Shatkhira District, East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh)
Alma mater	University of Dhaka; International Institute of Social Studies;
Profession	Civil Servant

Sheikh Abdur Rashid (born: May 5, 1957) is a Bangladeshi government official who has served as the chairman of Petrobangla and additional secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.^[1] In 2024, the Yunus Interim Government brought him back from retirement as secretary in the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. ^[2]^[3]^[4] Later, he was promoted to the position of secretary and is currently serving as the 25th Cabinet Secretary of Bangladesh.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Early life and education

Rashid was born on 5 May 1957 in the Satkhira District, East Pakistan, Pakistan. He ranked third in the merit list in both the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) exams. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from the University of Dhaka. Additionally, he earned an MA in Public Policy and Administration from the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands, and a PhD in public administration from the University of Dhaka in 2005.^[6]

Career

Rashid ranked fourth in the combined merit list of the 1982 batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service and first in the administration cadre. He then joined the administration, serving as upazila executive officer, additional deputy commissioner, and deputy commissioner in field administration. During the tenure of Khaleda Zia's government, he served as a director in the Prime Minister's Office and later became a director-general there. He also served as the chairman of Petrobangla and as an additional secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.^[8]^[6]^[7]

After the Awami League government took office in 2009, Rashid was made OSD (officer on special duty) under a false case. Though later proven innocent through investigation, he was informed of this only four years later, by which time he had already retired.^[9]

Rashid served as the senior secretary of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. On October 8, 2024, through an official notification, he was appointed as the 25th Cabinet secretary of Bangladesh, effective from October 14, 2024, on a two-year contract.^[10]^[6]

Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, during the student-popular uprising, an interim government was formed. While retired, he was reappointed to the Department of Secondary and Higher Education on a two-year contract on August 17. The next day, August 18, he was promoted to the position of senior secretary.^[11]^[6]