Shib Narayan Kairy

Chairperson, Trustee Board, RDRS Bangladesh

(24 December 2019 - 12 March 2023)

Shib Narayan Kairy has been associated with RDRS Trustee Board since 2006 and currently playing the role of the Chairperson. He started his career in BRAC and served in various important positions. After retirement from BRAC, Mr. Kairy joined BRAC University as a Treasurer and served in this position until March 2020. Mr. Kairy joined Sajida foundation in April 2020 as a Senior Advisor.

Mr. Kairy is currently serving as the Chairperson of INAFI, Vice President of GHASFUL, Chairman of Dhaka Handicrafts. He has a number of articles published in national newspapers and he is also the co-writer of the book titled “Driving Development: A story of BRAC’s Evolution and Effectiveness”.

Mr. Kairy did his Master’s in Accounting from Dhaka University. 

Syeda Rizwana Hasan

Chairperson, Trustee Board, RDRS Bangladesh

(17 April 2008 – 23 December 2019)

Syeda Rizwana Hasan is an enrolled lawyer with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. In professional life, she is working for the cause of environment as the Chief Executive of a reputed national Non Governmental Organization named Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA). She has a number of publications to her credit. Notable amongst these are “Laws Regulating Environment in Bangladesh” and “Judicial Decisions on Environment in South Asia”. Ms. Hasan is the editor of BELA newsletter (a quarterly publication of BELA) and also contributor to numerous national and international publications. Ms Hasan has been associated with RDRS Trustee Board since 25 September 2002.

She was awarded Goldman Environmental Prize in 2009 for implementing regulations for ship breaking industry in Bangladesh. She was also awarded The Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2012 for her adamant courage and strong leadership in promoting judicial activism in Bangladesh that ensures people’s right to good environment.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan has a Master’s of Law from Dhaka University

Rasheda K. Choudhury

Chairperson, Trustee Board, RDRS Bangladesh

(1st July 1997 – 9th January 2008)

Rasheda K. Choudhury is the Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), the national coalition of more than a thousand NGOs and educator groups working for promoting quality education for all. She is the Member Secretary of Education Watch and the Co-Founder of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), a civil society movement working to help governments and other stakeholders to end the global education crisis, operating in more than 100 countries. Ms. Choudhury is currently a member of the Consultative/Expert Group of the External Resources Division (ERD) of the Government of Bangladesh which has been working on integrating population and development issues into plans and policies. Ms Choudhury has been associated with RDRS Trustee Board since 16 June 1997.

Rasheda K. Choudhury was Adviser (De-facto Cabinet Minister) to the Interim Non-party Caretaker Government of Bangladesh in 2008 which conducted the Parliamentary Election and handed over power to the elected government in January 2009. As the Adviser she served in three ministries that include Ministry of Primary and Mass Education; Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; and Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

She regularly writes in national newspapers on development issues particularly on the right to education, gender justice and inclusive development.

Rasheda K. Choudhury has a Master’s in English from Dhaka University.