Zakia Sultana is a

Bangladeshi Bangladeshis ( bn, বাংলাদেশী ) are the citizens of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centered on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay. Bangladeshi citizenship was formed in 1971, when the ...

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

and senior secretary of the

Ministry of Industries A Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry or variations is a ministry that is concerned with a nation's trade, industry and commerce. Notable examples are: List *Algeria: Ministry of Industry and ...

. She was the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Early life

Sultana was born in 1968 in

Singra Upazila Singra ( bn, সিংড়া) is an upazila of Natore District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. History The area was governed by the Zamindars of Bengal and Natore, under the Rajshahi Raj family and the Dighapatia Raj families from the ...

Natore District Natore district is a district of Rajshahi Division located in northern Bangladesh. It borders the metropolitan city of Rajshahi, and used to be part of Rajshahi district. History Natore was the District Headquarters of Rajshahi from 1769 to 182 ...

, East Pakistan, Pakistan. She completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in anatomy from the

Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) is a Graduate school, graduate Medical school, medical university in Bangladesh. It was established in 1965. The university offers postgraduate degrees only, not offering undergraduate medical o ...

in 1989 and 1991 respectively. She has a masters from

Victoria University, Melbourne Victoria University (VU or Vic Uni) is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is one of only six dual-sector universities in Australia, providing courses in both higher education and Technical and Further Educat ...

in Environmental Management.

Career

Sultana joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in 1991. Sultana was the Additional Secretary of the Financial Institutions Division of the

Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a part of the government in most countries that is responsible for matters related to the finance. Lists of current ministries of finance Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Finance and Eco ...

. In January 2021, Sultana was appointed chairman of

Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council () is a government agency responsible for providing funding and support to research institutions and Startup companies in the power sector. It provides long term planning and evaluation on the energy and ...

. On 16 May 2021, Sultana was appointed secretary of the Ministry of Industries. She is a director of the Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center. She is a director of

Dhaka Shishu Hospital Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital is a children's hospital in Bangladesh, located in the capital city of Dhaka. History The hospital was established in 1972, immediately following independence. It was funded by the late Professor Tofayel Ahmed, th ...

and

BIRDEM BIRDEM, the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders at Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh, is a 600-bed multidisciplinary hospital complex of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh. The hospital ...

. She is a director of

Palli Sanchay Bank Palli Sanchay Bank (), Rural Savings Bank, is a state owned bank in Bangladesh. Md. Akram-Al-Hossain is the chairman of the bank. Khondoker Ataur Rahman is the managing director of the bank. History On 2 July 2014, the Government of Bangladesh p ...

. On 27 October 2022, Sultana was appointed the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Her appointment was cancelled in November 2022 and instead Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker, former secretary of the Election Commission and incumbent secretary of the Ministry of Industries, was appointed secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. She was returned to the Ministry of Industries. This happened after the incumbent,

Md Mokbul Hossain Md Mokbul Hossain is a retired Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary. He was sent into forced retirement before his tenure ended citing public interest. Early life Hossain was born in Ballavepur, Kumarkhali Upazila, Kushtia District. ...

, was sent into forced retirement. Sultana signed an agreement with ICT Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin to improve supply chains. She was promoted to senior secretary on 27 October 2023. She is the vat policy member of the

National Board of Revenue The National Board of Revenue (NBR) ( bn, জাতীয় রাজস্ব বোর্ড) is the Central Authority for Tax Administration in Bangladesh. It is a Statutory Authority attached with the Internal Resources Division of Ministry ...

Personal life

Sultana is married to Md. Atiqul Islam, Additional Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sultana, Zakia Living people Bangladeshi civil servants People from Natore District Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University alumni Victoria University, Melbourne alumni 1968 births