Ashik Chowdhury appointed executive chairman of BIDA

He is known for his high-altitude skydives with the national flag

Ashik Chowdhury has been appointed the new executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, or BIDA.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Thursday, announcing his appointment for a two-year term.

He replaces Lokman Hossain Miah, the outgoing chairman, who retired after his term ended.

Lokman, a former health services secretary, was appointed as BIDA executive chairman in 2022 for a three-year tenure.

According to the notification, Ashik will serve as BIDA’s executive chairman for the next two years with the rank of senior secretary, starting from his joining date, on the condition that he relinquishes any ties with other organisations and institutions.

A banker and investment expert by profession, Ashik has been involved in skydiving since 2012.

He has completed numerous jumps from various altitudes.

On May 25, 2024, he jumped from an altitude of 41,795 feet in Memphis, US, holding a nearly seven-square-foot red and green flag of Bangladesh.

Before joining BIDA, Ashik’s most recent position was at the Singapore office of the UK-based Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, or HSBC, where he served as an associate director in the Real Asset Finance Division.

Ashik hails from Chandpur but grew up in Jashore due to his father’s work.

He attended Sylhet Cadet College before enrolling at the Institute of Business Administration, or IBA, at Dhaka University.

After graduating in 2007, he briefly worked for British American Tobacco before moving to Standard Chartered Bank, where he served as manager in the Lending Strategy and Financial Planning Division for three years.

Before joining HSBC, he also served as head of finance for the Europe and Asia Division at American Airlines.

From 2020 to 2021, he took on a role as a visiting assistant professor at Bangladesh University of Professionals, or BUP.

BIDA was formed in 2016 by merging the Board of Investment and the Privatisation Commission, aiming to facilitate both domestic and foreign investments in Bangladesh.

Operating under the Prime Minister’s Office, the authority works to simplify processes for obtaining necessary certificates, approvals, and official permissions for investments.

It also provides expertise and information to identify suitable investment locations and market opportunities.