S.M. Ferdous Alam

S.M. Ferdous Alam holds the role of Head of Government Engagement at TRACE Consulting, where he leads high-level collaboration with ministries, regulators, and standards bodies to advance regulatory reform, quality infrastructure modernization, and governance innovation. His direct oversight of BSTI as director general gives the firm its senior technical voice on quality infrastructure, product certification, conformity assessment, and laboratory operations, and his standing across the Ministry of Shipping, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, BIWTC, and BSTI positions him as TRACE Consulting's principal point of engagement with these institutions.

With over 32 years of executive leadership across key ministries, directorates, and state-owned enterprises, Mr. Alam served as a distinguished Bangladesh Civil Service officer (Administration Cadre, 13th Batch), retiring at the highest civil service tier as a Grade 1 officer; he is currently on Post-Retirement Leave (PRL). Throughout his career, he led major regulatory reforms, institutional modernization, and technology-driven governance initiatives. His integrity and reform leadership have been recognized nationally, including as a two-time recipient of the National Integrity Award (শুদ্ধাচার পুরস্কার) in 2018 and 2024.

From 2023 to 2025, he served as Director General (Grade 1) of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), directing the national standards body and overseeing quality infrastructure, product certification, conformity assessment, and laboratory operations to align Bangladesh's industrial output with international trade parameters.

Before that, as Chairman (Grade 1) of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), Mr. Alam shaped strategic operational policies for inland maritime routes and logistics. He also served as additional secretary and joint secretary in the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, contributing to sectoral policies, regulatory frameworks, and resource management strategies.

Earlier still, he advanced technical education and ICT as Director of the Directorate of Technical Education and the National Academy for Computer Training and Research (NECTAR) and built strong field administration credentials as DDLG, ADM, and ADC in Bogura; UNO in Shariakandi and Sherpur; and Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Magistrate in multiple postings. He holds an M.Sc. in Horticulture and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Agriculture from Bangladesh Agricultural University, a diploma in Computer & Information Systems, and has completed high-level programs at Duke University, BPATC, and in South Korea. Exceptionally bilingual in Bangla and English, with advanced Arabic, he has represented Bangladesh in international trade seminars and bilateral visits across Europe and Asia.