Ismat Jahan

Ismat Jahan (born June 3, 1960) is a Bangladeshi diplomat who is currently serving as the Permanent Observer of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to the European Union. From 2009 to 2016, she was Ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union and from 2007 to 2009, she was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations.[1][2]

Ismat Jahan
Head of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the European Union
Assumed office
July 2016
Preceded byAgshin Mehdiyev
Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union
In office
2009–2016
Preceded byA.H.M. Moniruzzaman
Succeeded byMohammed Shahdat Hossain
Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations
In office
2007–2009
PresidentIajuddin Ahmed
Preceded byIftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury
Succeeded byAbulkalam Abdul Momen
Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands
In office
2005–2007
Preceded byLiaquat Ali Choudhury
Succeeded byMizanur Rahman
Personal details
Born1960
Bangladesh

Education

A career diplomat of the 1982 batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs) cadre, Jahan had her education in the University of Dhaka with an honours and a master's degree in economics.

Later, she did her MA in law and diplomacy from The Fletcher School, Tufts University. She was also a fellow in the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University in the United States.[3]

Career

During her diplomatic career, Jahan served in various capacities at Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Ministry as well as missions abroad including Bangladesh's Permanent Missions in New York City and Geneva, and High Commission in New Delhi. She was Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Netherlands (2005–2007).

Following her appointment as Ambassador to the Netherlands,[4] Jahan served as Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations. She was the first woman Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN.[3]

From 2009 to 2016 Jahan served as Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and Head of Mission to the European Union.[5]

In 2010, Jahan was elected as member of the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).[6]

In July 2016, she was appointed as the head the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)'s Permanent Observer Mission to the European Union.[7] In her role, Jahan contributes to raising awareness to anti-Muslim and antisemitic hate speech, including of hate speech on social media.[8]

Personal life

Jahan is married to Johannes den Heijer, a national of the Netherlands, and professor of Arabic language and literature at the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.[9] Under a rule dating back to 1976, Bangladesh foreign ministry officials were not allowed to marry foreign nationals. The law was amended in 2008, following a request by Jahan to marry her Dutch national fiancée Johannes den Heijer.[10]

References
  1. A Directory of World Leaders & Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments 2008-2009. Arc Manor. March 2008. pp. 41–. ISBN 978-1-60450-155-1.
  2. "Biographical data of Ms. Ismat Jahan" (PDF). United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  3. "Ismat Jahan". Belgrade Security Forum. 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. Ismat Jahan appointed as Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of ... United News of Bangladesh - May 14, 2007
  5. "Former Ambassadors". Embassy of Bangladesh, Brussels. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  6. "16th Meeting of States parties (New York, 28 June 2010): Election of the members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to replace those whose terms are due to expire on 31 December 2010". United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  7. "Bangladesh diplomat Ismat Jahan to lead OIC in European Union". bdnews24.com. 27 June 2016.
  8. "Meeting with Ambassador Ismat Jahan, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation". Council of Europe. Strasbourg. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  9. Khan, Nawab (1 November 2021). "Dutch Orientalist proposes 'cultural diplomacy to promote East-West understanding". Kuwait News Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  10. "Bangladesh allows its diplomats to marry foreigners". The Times of India. Dhaka. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
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