Saber Hossain Chowdhury

Honorary President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

Mr. Saber Hossain Chowdhury, is Member of Bangladesh Parliament (Dhaka 9 constituency) and Honorary President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Established in 1889 and headquartered in Geneva, IPU is the world’s organization of National Parliaments and is the focal point for worldwide Parliamentary dialogue and building stronger Parliaments and democracies. As the first and only Bangladeshi, he served as 28th President of the IPU from 2014-2017. IPU’s current membership comprises of 179 national parliaments, having well over 45,000 members of parliaments who in turn represent 6.5 billion people across the globe. For his outstanding work and service as IPU President, the Russian Federation and Vietnam have decorated him with one of their highest national honours – “Order of Friendship”.

In a distinguished career, Mr. Chowdhury has excelled in various roles and responsibilities in Parliament, Government, political party and sports administration.

Under his dynamic leadership, Bangladesh achieved Test Status in cricket, Bangladesh Cricket Board was recognised with Bangladesh’s highest national recognition – Independence Day Award in 2000 and he is the only Bangladeshi to be conferred with Honorary Life Membership of Marylebone Cricket Club, Lords, England.An active Parliamentarian and now serving his fourth term, he is current Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and also a Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Ministry of Planning.

He initiated the proposal for a new provision in the Constitution of Bangladesh relating to protection and improvement of the environment and biodiversity (Article 18A) as one of the fundamental principles of state policy.

Other than introducing and successfully piloting Private Member Legislation on criminalizing custodial torture and repealing the Leper’s Act which promoted segregation, he drafted and moved the Motion on Planetary Emergency – highlighting climate change, intensity and frequency of disasters, resource sustainability, loss of biodiversity and ecosystems, food security and water stress.

He is a graduate of School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and holds a Joint Honors degree in Economics and Politics as well as a Diploma in Law from University of Westminster, United Kingdom having completed the academic stage for entry to the Bar.

He is a Councillor of the World Future Council.