Md. Ataur Rahman Khan

Md. Ataur Rahman Khan, ndc is a senior Bangladeshi civil servant who serves as the Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of Bangladesh. He was appointed on 25 May 2026 and joined the Commerce Ministry on 16 June 2026, bringing extensive experience in public administration, home affairs, and government leadership to one of Bangladesh's most economically critical ministries.

🏛️ Appointment as Commerce Secretary

The government promoted Md. Ataur Rahman Khan from Additional Secretary to Secretary rank and appointed him as Commerce Secretary on 25 May 2026. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification to this effect, with the order taking effect immediately in the public interest. Prior to this appointment, he had been serving as Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He joined the Commerce Ministry on 16 June 2026, where Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir welcomed him and expressed optimism about making the Commerce Ministry more dynamic through skilled leadership and equal opportunities. The Minister highlighted the government's commitment to strengthening the ministry's capacity to support Bangladesh's trade and export agenda.

🏛️ Civil Service Career

Md. Ataur Rahman Khan is a career civil servant with the ndc (National Defence College) qualification — a prestigious designation indicating completion of advanced strategic and national security studies. His career trajectory includes:

• 🏛️ Secretary, Ministry of Commerce (since 16 June 2026) — Current role
• 🏛️ Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs — Position held immediately before promotion to Secretary
• 📋 Various field-level and ministry positions — Career civil servant with multi-ministry experience
• 🎓 National Defence College (ndc) qualification — Advanced strategic studies

📊 Ministry of Commerce: Strategic Significance

As Commerce Secretary, Md. Ataur Rahman Khan is the senior-most civil servant in the Ministry of Commerce — the government's primary policy body for trade, commerce, and export promotion. The Ministry of Commerce is responsible for:

• 🌍 Trade policy formulation — Export-import policy, trade agreements, FTA negotiations
• 📊 Export target setting — Working with EPB on annual export targets ($63.4B for FY2027)
• 🏛️ Trade organization oversight — EPB, BTMA, BGMEA, BKMEA, and other trade bodies
• 📋 Import policy — Import regulation, tariff structure coordination with NBR
• 🤝 International trade negotiations — WTO, EPA, FTA, GSP+ negotiations
• 🏭 Export diversification — Beyond RMG to pharmaceuticals, leather, jute, agro, IT
• 💰 Cash incentive policy — Export sector incentives and subsidies
• 🌐 LDC graduation preparation — Trade policy transition for 2029 LDC graduation

🎯 Strategic Context Under His Leadership

Ataur Rahman Khan's appointment as Commerce Secretary comes at a critical moment for Bangladesh's trade agenda:

• 🎯 $63.4 billion FY27 export target — 15% growth target requiring coordinated policy support
• 🇺🇸 US tariff impact management — 10% tariff on Bangladesh exports effective July 24, 2026
• 🇪🇺 EPA negotiations — With EU, South Korea, Japan for post-LDC market access
• 🌍 LDC graduation preparation — Trade policy transition for 2029
• 🏭 Export diversification — Beyond RMG (80%+ of exports) to other sectors
• 🏛️ Trade facilitation — BanglaBiz portal, OSS integration, single-window services
• 🤝 FTA negotiations — 6 FTAs planned by end of 2026
• 💰 Booth rent waiver for SMEs — Recently announced by Commerce Minister

🤝 Engagement with Trade Bodies

Since joining the Commerce Ministry, Ataur Rahman Khan has been actively engaging with trade bodies and professional organizations. On 9 July 2026, an ICMAB (Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh) delegation met with him at his office, demonstrating his openness to engaging with professional bodies on policy matters relevant to their sectors.

His role requires close coordination with:

• 🏛️ BGMEA, BKMEA, BTMA — Major export association leaders
• 📊 EPB — Export Promotion Bureau (Vice Chairman Mohammad Hasan Arif)
• 💰 NBR — National Board of Revenue (Chairman Ahsan Habib)
• 🏦 Bangladesh Bank — Monetary and exchange rate policy coordination
• 🌍 Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Trade diplomacy and embassy support
• 🏭 Ministry of Industries — Industrial policy coordination
• 🚢 Ministry of Shipping — Port and logistics coordination