Irene Khan assumes charge as Bangladesh’s permanent UN representative

Internationally recognised human rights expert Irene Zubaida Khan has assumed office as Bangladesh’s new permanent representative to the United Nations.

Khan formally took charge on Friday (August 28) after presenting her credentials to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN Headquarters in New York.

With decades of experience in international human rights and law, Khan has held senior positions at the United Nations and several international organisations, working on human rights, refugee protection, the rule of law and sustainable development.

Since 2020, she has served as the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

Khan previously served as Secretary-General of Amnesty International from 2001 to 2009, becoming the first woman to lead the organisation. She later served as Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) from 2012 to 2019.

Before joining IDLO, Khan spent 21 years with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), holding several senior positions, including Chief of Mission in India and Deputy Director of its Division of International Protection.

Her contributions to human rights and peace earned her the Sydney Peace Prize in 2006. She is also the author of The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights.

Irene Khan studied law at the University of Manchester and Harvard Law School.