BIO

Major General (Retired) Dr. Md. Nayeem Ashfaque Chowdhury is a distinguished military officer, strategic thinker, and public intellectual with over 32 years of service in the Bangladesh Army and the United Nations. He graduated top of his class from the Bangladesh Military Academy in 1987 and went on to serve in some of the most critical and high-level appointments in the Bangladesh Armed Forces, contributing to policy-making, strategic planning, and national security operations.

He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Director of Military Operations (DMO) in the history of the Bangladesh Army. Dr. Chowdhury was the principal architect behind Operation Thunderbolt, the highly acclaimed counter-terrorism operation that neutralized militants during the Holey Artisan Bakery attack on 1 July 2016 in Dhaka. His exemplary performance earned him a Letter of Commendation for his role as Director of Operations at the Force Headquarters of the UN Mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (MINURCAT).

As a General Officer, he commanded two infantry divisions, including the raising of a new division based in Jessore and Barisal. Following his retirement, he transitioned into leadership roles in the private and philanthropic sectors, serving as Managing Director of a national project, Executive Director of East Coast Group, and currently as Chief Executive Officer of a foundation engaged in philanthropic work.

Dr. Chowdhury holds a PhD in International Relations from Jahangirnagar University, as well as two Master’s degrees in Strategic and Security Studies from institutions in Bangladesh and Turkey. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Bangladesh Centre for Indo-Pacific Affairs (BCIPA) under Jahangirnagar University. He is the author of the book “Bangladesh-Myanmar Relations Amidst the Rohingya Crisis: An Evaluation through Regional Security Complex Theory” and has published numerous articles in national newspapers and academic journals. A frequent commentator, he regularly appears in television talk shows and policy seminars focused on South Asian and Indo-Pacific security issues.