Cdr Iftekhar Hassan, (C), psc, BN (Retd)

Governing Board Member | Bangladesh Nature Foundation

Commander Iftekhar Hassan is a retired senior officer of the Bangladesh Navy with extensive experience in naval command, maritime operations, administration, security, intelligence, strategic planning, and executive management. During his distinguished career, he served in a range of command and senior staff appointments within the Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Naval Headquarters, and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence. Following his retirement from military service, he continued his professional career in senior executive positions, including Additional Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of BGMEA, Chittagong, Project Head of the Real Estate Division of Sena Kalyan Sangstha, Chief Executive Officer of a four-star hotel under Sena Kalyan Sangstha, and Senior Executive Vice President of Sena Insurance PLC. He currently serves as a Governing Board Member of the Bangladesh Nature Foundation, contributing his broad experience in leadership, administration, organizational management, and maritime affairs to the Foundation’s governance.

Academic Qualifications

Commander Hassan holds an MSc in Military Science and a BSc. His academic background has been complemented by extensive professional education and specialized training in military command, security, intelligence, maritime affairs, law enforcement, crisis management, international maritime operations, and strategic leadership.

Professional Experience

Commander Hassan served in the Bangladesh Navy in the Executive Branch and held command responsibilities across different types of warships. He commanded three different types of warships and served as second-in-command on eight warships. His naval career also included service with the Bangladesh Coast Guard as an Area Operations Officer and Commanding Officer of a base, as well as service as Aide-de-Camp to the Director General. At Naval Headquarters, he served as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence and Deputy Director of Signals. He also served with the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, including as Acting Detachment Commander and G2 in the Chittagong Detachment.

After completing his naval career, Commander Hassan took on senior responsibilities in civilian organizations. His service as Additional Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of BGMEA, Chittagong, involved senior-level organizational administration and executive management. He subsequently served as Project Head of the Real Estate Division of Sena Kalyan Sangstha, Chief Executive Officer of a four-star hotel under the organization, and Senior Executive Vice President of Sena Insurance PLC. These positions provided extensive experience in corporate administration, project management, executive decision-making, institutional coordination, and organizational operations.

Research and Scientific Expertise

Commander Hassan’s professional background is centered on maritime affairs, security, administration, strategic and operational management, rather than academic or scientific research. His long experience in maritime operations and coastal environments has provided him with substantial practical understanding of maritime institutions, operational coordination, security management, and the complexities of working in coastal and marine settings.

Research Funding and Project Leadership

His professional record includes leadership of institutional and operational projects, particularly through his service as Project Head of the Real Estate Division of Sena Kalyan Sangstha and through subsequent senior executive appointments. His project-management experience encompasses organizational planning, implementation, supervision, resource coordination, and executive oversight. This background reflects his capacity to manage complex institutional responsibilities and work within structured organizational frameworks.

Scientific Contribution and Collaboration

Commander Hassan’s career has involved extensive coordination across military, maritime, government, intelligence, corporate, and international professional environments. His international professional training and participation in maritime, security, law-enforcement, crisis-management, and United Nations-related programmes have provided him with broad exposure to institutional cooperation and international operational practices.

Teaching, Mentorship and Capacity Building

His extensive command and executive experience has involved leadership, supervision, personnel management, operational coordination, and professional development within highly structured organizations. Through these responsibilities, he has developed substantial experience in guiding personnel, maintaining organizational discipline, coordinating teams, and managing responsibilities in demanding operational environments.

Leadership and Institutional Service

Commander Hassan has a broad record of leadership extending from naval command and maritime operations to senior civilian administration and executive management. His military service included command of warships, senior operational appointments, intelligence and communications responsibilities, and Coast Guard assignments. His subsequent civilian career added substantial experience in organisational administration, project management, corporate leadership, and executive decision-making. This combination of military and civilian leadership experience represents a significant professional dimension of his service.

Role at Bangladesh Nature Foundation

As a Governing Board Member of the Bangladesh Nature Foundation (BNF), Commander Iftekhar Hassan contributes his extensive experience in organizational leadership, administration, strategic planning, maritime operations, security, logistics, and risk management to support the Foundation’s governance and programme implementation. His professional background strengthens BNF’s capacity to plan and coordinate field-based conservation activities, particularly those involving coastal and maritime environments, community engagement, logistics, operational safety, and institutional coordination. He also supports BNF through strategic guidance on administrative systems, project implementation, resource management, organizational discipline, risk assessment, and collaboration with relevant governmental, maritime, community, and development stakeholders, thereby contributing to the Foundation’s institutional effectiveness and sustainable programme delivery.

Professional Contribution to BNF

As a Governing Board Member of the Bangladesh Nature Foundation, Commander Hassan brings senior-level experience in leadership, organizational administration, maritime affairs, strategic planning, and executive management. His contribution to BNF is primarily through participation in institutional governance and the application of his extensive professional experience to organisational decision-making, strategic direction, and overall institutional development. His background in maritime and coastal operations also provides an additional perspective within the multidisciplinary composition of the BNF Governing Board.

Professional Recognition

Commander Hassan’s professional career is distinguished by extensive command and senior responsibilities in the Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Naval Headquarters, and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, followed by senior executive positions in prominent civilian organizations. His completion of specialized training and professional courses in Bangladesh and abroad in areas including maritime security and safety, law enforcement, crisis management, international maritime affairs, military observation, and strategic operations further reflects the breadth of his professional experience.