Zia Hyder made PM's special assistant on health affairs

Dr SM Ziauddin Hyder, widely known as Zia Hyder, has been appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Health Affairs with the status of state minister. The Cabinet Division issued a notification regarding his appointment on Wednesday, stating that Dr Zia Hyder would assume his responsibilities immediately.

Dr Hyder is a former senior official of the World Bank and a renowned health expert with extensive experience in the policy and development sectors. Prior to this appointment, he served as a Senior Health and Nutrition Specialist at the World Bank. He also served as an advisor to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

According to the notification, the Prime Minister appointed him under the Rules of Business. He will receive the rank, salary, allowances, and other associated benefits of a state minister. The order takes effect immediately.

Dr Zia Hyder completed his MBBS from Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College in 1988. He earned a master’s degree in food and nutrition planning from the University of the Philippines and a PhD in Nutrition and Epidemiology from Umeå University in Sweden.