Ahmed, Iajuddin

▪ president of Bangladesh

born Feb. 1, 1931, Nayagaon, Bangl.

      17th president of Bangladesh. Ahmed was elected unopposed on Sept. 5, 2002, and retained this office, acting as caretaker of a military-backed interim government established to address a state of emergency declared in January 2007.

      Born in the Mushinganj District of Bangladesh (then India), Ahmed pursued his higher education at Dhaka University. After earning a master's degree in 1954, he traveled to the United States to continue his studies, earning a second master's degree in 1958 and a doctorate in 1962 from the University of Wisconsin. He returned to Bangladesh as an assistant professor at Dhaka University, becoming a full professor in the Department of Soil Science in 1973. Ahmed held many leadership positions at Dhaka University, including chair of the Department of Soil Science (1968–69, 1976–79), provost of Salimullah Muslim Hall (1975–83), and dean of the Faculty of Biological Science (1989–91). He married a zoologist, Anwara Begum; they had three children.

      In 1991 Ahmed joined the Ministry of Food and Culture as adviser to the caretaker government of Bangladesh, and from 1991 to 1993 he chaired the Public Service Commission. From 1995 to 1999 he chaired the University Grants Commission, and in 2002 he became vice chancellor at the State University of Bangladesh. In September 2002 he ran unopposed for the country's presidency.

      Facing unrest and violent street protests by opposition parties claiming voter registration discrepancies, Ahmed declared a state of emergency in January 2007, giving power to a military-run caretaker government. Although his presidential term was slated to end in September 2007, he continued as head of the government under a constitutional provision requiring a sitting president to remain in office until a successor has been elected.

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