Directorial and Professional Staff of CIRDAP
Dr. Cecep Effendi, Indonesia
[Master's in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India;
Ph.D. in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India]
Director General
Email: dgcirdap@cirdap.org
Dr. Cecep Effendi has fifteen years experiences both as activist and as academician in the area of decentralisation and democratisation. Since 1999, started as chairman of Rector Forum in the West Java Province, he was responsible in ensuring a free and fair election in the province by employing 1000 university students to work as observers in Indonesia’s first democratic election after the collapse of the New Order regime. Since then, Dr. Effendi has participated in various capacities to advise national and local government agencies both as professional as well as advisor to the House of Representatives, Regional Representative Assembly, Indonesia’s Senate, the Association of Provincial Governments, and Minister for Home Affairs of Republic of Indonesia in formulating policies, drafting government laws and regulations.
Dr. Effendi served as partner of the Asia Foundation in initiating a new reform for local government, programme manager of decentralisation of UNDP and Senior Advisor of the German Technical Cooperation’s Advisory Service Support for Decentralisation in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. He also served as Deputy Principal Advisor of the German International Cooperation for Decentralisation as Contribution to Good Governance in the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as Member of the Advisory Group for Indonesia’s Provincial Government Association. He was recipient of American Political Science Congressional Fellow to serve in the Sub-Commission on Asia and the Pacific, Commission of international Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington DC, USA and Parliamentary Internship Programme of the House of Representatives in Ottawa, Canada. As an academician, he also served Islamic University, Indonesia as President, Dean for the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, and Head for the Department of Political Science, for a decade, from 1995 to 2003. Dr. Effendi has assumed the position of Director General of CIRDAP from 6 July 2012.
Mr. Hossein Shahbaz, Iran
[Master's in Natural Resources, Tehran University]
Director (Pilot Projects)
Email: hshahbaz@cirdap.org; ppd@cirdap.org
Prior to joining CIRDAP, he was the Head of Supporting and Servicing Office for Agro-based Industries located in the rural areas, which was also the focal point of country for running a pilot project sharing with UNIDO to reduce post-harvest fruit and vegetable wastes on farmlands by training how to use drying technology. Accordingly he had a closer cooperation with two NGOs which was the executive manager of Iranian Wood and Furniture Industries Committee and the consultant of Home and Office Furniture Exporters’ Union.
He had been working for about 18 years for Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture, in the offices which basically were involved on rural development (RD), especially by leading small-scale industries (SSIs) to be established in rural areas and supporting them through offering facilities. He has written many manuals of small and medium industrial plans projects containing feasibility studies, market research, suitable technology for rural areas, economical and financial indexes such as BEP, IRR, Production Cost, Gant Chart and so on, with a view of helping the people who are going to invest and establish SSI in rural areas.
He is an expert on rural development qualified by international/national institutes and organisations such as Gulef University of Canada, Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), and NIRD. He is an UNIDO qualified auditor of Industrial Clusters development projects running by CDA (Cluster Development Agent).
He has participated in several international/national conferences and workshops and presented his papers on RD and SSIs. He is a member of Supreme Council of Iranian Official Experts (SCIOA). Mr. Hossein Shahbaz has joined CIRDAP in March 2009.
Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran, India
[Master in Economics, University of Madras, India,
Ph.D in Economics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India; Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Communication, BVB, India]
Director, Information & Communication Div.
E-mail: vasanthi@cirdap.org; vasanthi1359@gmail.com
An Information, Education and Communication (IEC) expert, Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran has contributed to strengthening youth and rural development documentation in India. Prior to joining CIRDAP, she worked at Centre for Media and Rural Documentation, National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad, India. She also worked as Faculty Head, Research, Evaluation, Documentation and Dissemination Division with Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Tamil Nadu, India. Her areas of interest are Rural Wage Employment, Development Communication, Women in Governance and Youth Development.
Dr. Vasanthi has edited over 300 books on rural and youth development and published several articles in reputed journals. During her stay for two and a half decades at NIRD and RGNIYD India, she has conducted over 100 training programmes for national and international participants on various facets of Rural Communication and Youth Development. She participates regularly as a Resource person in South Asian Regional Conferences on ‘Promoting Gender Responsive Politics’, organised by South Asia Partnership International (SAPI).
Dr. Vasanthi initiated and coordinated the first ever Youth Development Index Project for India and the Indian Youth in New Millennium Study. She also developed India’s exclusive Youth Portal and started the first ever Journal of Youth Development ‘Endeavour’. She has designed several Capacity Building Modules for Youth viz, on Right to Information, Environment, Poverty Alleviation, Career Counselling etc. and conducted several research studies on youth issues besides compiling a Statistical Profile of Youth in India. Dr. Vasanthi joined CIRDAP in March 2011.
Dr. Majibar Rahman, Bangladesh
[Master in Rural Social Development,
University of Reading, U.K.
M.Com. (Mgt.) First Class First ( Dhaka University)
Ph.D., Preston University, USA.]
Special Officer, PRMU
Email: mrahman@cirdap.org
Mr. Majibar Rahman has joined as Special Officer at the Planning and Resource Mobilisation Unit in CIRDAP in June 2006. A government servant for more than 15 years he has been serving in senior positions as a counterpart to expatriate/international advisors in several donor assisted projects devoted to rural development, poverty alleviation and livelihood improvement of the poor in Bangladesh. His areas of expertise/ specialisations include: Local governance, micro finance, promotion of income generating activities, micro enterprise development, flood proofing, participatory rural development and poverty alleviation, participatory planning, gender development, project preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. More specifically he worked for 8 years in RD-5 project as Deputy Project Director supported by SIDA and for 2 years in RD-9 project as Sr. Economic Development Manager assisted by EU . Mr. Majibar Rahman also acted as the Project Director in Participatory Rural Development Project ( PRDP) popularly known as the Link Model supported by JICA for long 4 years. Before joining to CIRDAP he worked in the capacity of Project Director, in Char Livelihood Programme (CLP) implemented by RDCD with financial and technical support from DFID. Mr. Rahman got National Award for his outstanding performance and contribution in the field of Cooperatives and Rural Development in 1986. He received training in UK, Greece, India and Japan in the field of Rural and Social Development; Cooperatives; Micro finance; Human Security; Participatory Rural Development and Local Government in Japan; and Rural Regional Development Planning etc.
Mr. Shafiqur Rahman, Bangladesh
[Master's in Statistics, Dhaka University]
Assistant Programme Officer
Email: srahman@cirdap.org
Mr. Rahman gained wide experience in the field of sustainable development and environment and related issues, with his active involvement in the multidisciplinary research/action research projects of CIRDAP. An expert-trainer of participatory development programmes, and a resource person in a number of seminars/workshops, Mr. Rahman is trained in statistical methods; community nutrition; research methodology and management of rural development projects; project design, monitoring and evaluation; poverty measurement and analysis; social accounting matrix; general algebraic modelling system; computerised information system; spreadsheet analysis using Lotus 1-2-3; and programming on Cobol and Foxpro. He has authored/coauthored a number of research articles and publications of the Centre. Mr. Rahman worked as a project staff in the project “Food Control Drainage and Irrigation (FCDI) since 1986 prior to his formal joining in CIRDAP in 1991.
Mr. David Hilton, Bangladesh
[B.S.S. (Hons.), M.S.S. in Govt. & Politics, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh,
M.S in Economic Development, Eastern University, USA]
Assistant Programme Officer
Email: dhilton@cirdap.org
Prior to joining CIRDAP, he served as Training Officer for two years and later Research and Evaluation Officer for three years in World Vision of Bangladesh (an international NGO). Worked as an Intern Consultant in two non-profit organisations, viz. Olde Kensington Redevelopment Corporation and St. Simeon’s Community Centre, Philadelphia, USA, and assisted in developing their strategic plan, funding strategy, organisational development etc. His areas of expertise include project feasibility, baseline survey, management, participatory monitoring and evaluation. Experienced as facilitator in Participatory Project Cycle Management and PRA exercises both at home and abroad. He also participated in several workshops, trainings at national and international level. Mr. David has joined CIRDAP in March 1998.
Muhammad Shahadat Hossain, Bangladesh
[ MBA (Finance)-East West University,
M.Com (Acct.), CA (cc)]
Finance Officer
Email: shahadat@cirdap.org
Mr. Muhammad Shahadat Hossain has Joined CIRDAP as a Finance Officer on 15 April 2008. Previously he worked in a Multinational organization named Asian Consumer Care (Pvt) Ltd (A joint venture of Dabur International & ACI Ltd), ACI Center, 245 Tejgaon Dhaka-1208. & he worked also PRAN-RFL group As a Assistant Manager(Accounts & Fund Management), PRAN-RFL group is one of the largest Local Food manufacturing company in Bangladesh. His total job experience in Accounts & Finance section for 12 years. He has intensive experience on Budgeting, Financial Planning and Reporting, ratio analysis, fund management, company Law.
Engr. Md. Waliul Hasnat, Bangladesh
[MBA (MIS), Prime University
M. Sc in Computer Science & Engg. (DIU),
B.Sc. in Computer Science & Engg. (DUET)]
Computer Programmer
Email: hasnat@cirdap.org
Mr. Md. Waliul Hasnat joined CIRDAP as a Computer Programmer on 14 August 2008. He is an IT professional with comprehensive technical skills and expertise on Information Technology, Computer Hardware and Network Management. He is conversant with most of the computer softwares along with essential utility softwares. He has worked in a number of national intuitions/organisations. Before joining CIRDAP, he has worked in SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka, Bangladesh as an IT Manager. He also worked at the Prime Minister’s Office, Bangladesh as an IT Engineer. He has carried out numerous IT projects and assignments in national and international organisations. He has also experience to prepare Specifications, Tender Documents and Procurement as per Public Procurement Regulation 2003 (PPR03). He has participated in several seminars, workshops and training programmes at national and international level.
Mr. Safiul Azam, Bangladesh
[B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. in Statistics, Chittagong University]
Assistant Protocol Officer
Email: sazam@cirdap.org
He has a good experience in organising travel and tour, related to international seminar, workshop, conference etc. To accomplish his protocol duties, he has to get in touch with the high-ranking officials and dignitaries at home and abroad. Mr. Azam has to arrange travel facilities for the CIRDAP staff as well as CMC dignitaries. He also has to contact the diplomatic missions in Dhaka for passports, visas and other travel documents for the CIRDAP delegates coming from abroad. Mr. Azam has joined CIRDAP in March 1991.
Dr. Usharani Boruah, India
[Ph.D. In Library Science, Moscow State University of Arts And Culture. Russia, Moscow]
Librarian
Email: usharani@cirdap.org
Dr. Usharani Boruah served as a Librarian in various Organisations for more than 8 years. She worked as a Librarian in the Indian Embassy, Moscow and Indian International School Moscow, Russia. She worked as Librarian of the University of Development Alternative (UODA ) Dhaka, Bangladesh and also as Medical Librarian in Apollo Hospitals Dhaka. Dr. Boruah has vast experience in Library Development Education Programmes, Community Development Education Programme, Ethenic Development Educations Programme through Library Education and Policy. Dr. Usharani Boruah joined CIRDAP in July 2007.
Mr. S. M. Saifuddin, Bangladesh
[B.A (Hons), M.A in Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University;
M.Phil. in English Studies, National University]
Publication Assistant
Email: saifuddin@cirdap.org
With his primary background in the field of communications and journalism, Mr. Saifuddin developed his expertise on information, education & communication (IEC), writing & editing, proof reading and page designing. He has edited a number of high-profile CIRDAP publications. Equipped with knowledge on DTP software packages, he has good experience in printing and publishing line. As a journalist, he worked in the English daily, The Daily Star, for about eight years. Mr. Saifuddin has joined CIRDAP in December 2000.
