Farida Khanam becomes first female Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka

Farida Khanam has been appointed as the first female Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Dhaka district, marking a significant moment for women’s leadership in Bangladesh’s public administration.

The Ministry of Public Administration confirmed the appointment through a gazette notification issued on Wednesday (April 22). Before this role, she served as Deputy Secretary in the Public Security Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Officials say her administrative experience, strong record in policy implementation, and leadership skills played a key role in her selection.

Farida Khanam replaces outgoing DC Md. Rezaul Karim, who has been transferred to the Cabinet Division as part of a routine administrative reshuffle.

She is from Gopalganj Sadar Upazila and studied Political Science at the University of Dhaka, completing both her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Khanam joined the civil service through the 25th BCS (Administration) cadre. Over the years, she has held several field-level roles, including Assistant Commissioner, Executive Magistrate, and Additional Deputy Commissioner. Her work has covered local administration, law and order, land management, disaster response, and development projects.

During her time in the Public Security Division, she was involved in policy coordination and implementation related to national security.

Dhaka, as the capital, presents complex administrative challenges. Officials expect her experience to support effective governance, coordination among agencies, and continued development efforts.

Her appointment is also seen as a positive step toward increasing women’s representation in senior government positions.