Dr Tahmeed Ahmed has been made the new executive director of the icddr'b, a renowned international public health research organisation.

He has become the first Bangladeshi to be appointed to this post in the organisation's 60-year history.

The International Board of Trustees of icddr,b, formerly known as the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, has appointed him to this new position, said a press release yesterday.

His appointment would be effective from February 1 next year.

He will succeed Dr John Clemens who has served as the executive director since 2013.

Tahmeed joined icddr,b in 1985. Over the years, he has taken on different roles and was appointed as the senior director at the Nutrition and Clinical Services Division of the organisation in December 2015.

A famed scientist with a distinguished career in public health nutrition, Tahmeed has earned global recognition for his research work and also for his vital contributions to preventing childhood malnutrition and simplifying its treatment.

He has received many awards from different health organisations, including, the Ambulatory Paediatric Association in the USA, the Commonwealth Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the Indian Paediatric Association.

In 2018, Tahmeed won the Islamic Development Bank's Transformers Roadshow award.

About his new role, Tahmeed said he was honoured to be the first Bangladeshi executive director of the icddr,b.

"I am proud to lead a team of 4,000 staff hailing from all over the world and excited to steer the organisation into the next phase."

He pledged to make the research on Covid-19 a key priority that is "a strong reminder of the vital importance of investing in scientific research that furthers public health".