Journalist Abdal Ahmed appointed Bangladesh principal information officer

The former Press Club general secretary and Amar Desh executive editor joins the PID for a one-year term

Journalist Syed Abdal Ahmed has been appointed the principal information officer of the Press Information Department (PID) on a one-year contract.

The public administration ministry issued a notification on Sunday appointing Abdal, executive editor of the daily Amar Desh, to the post.

The order said he would serve in Grade-1 status and must relinquish any employment, business or professional ties with any government, semi-government, private institution or organisation before taking up the role.

It added that the remaining terms and conditions of the appointment would be set out in the contract.

Born in 1962 in Nasirpur village of Nasirnagar Upazila in Brahmanbaria, Syed Abdal studied chemistry at Jahangirnagar University, where he completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees.

He served as general secretary of the National Press Club for the 2011-12 and 2013-14 terms.

From 1992 to 1996, he served as deputy press secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, with the rank of deputy secretary to the government.

A life member of the Bangla Academy, he most recently served as a member of the Media Reform Commission formed by the interim government.

Throughout his career, Abdal has worked for several prominent news outlets, including the national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Daily Janakantha, Dainik Dinkal, and the weekly Bichitra.