Work in Bangladesh recognised with well deserved OBE
Thursday, 24 December 2009
Iftikhar (Tim) Khan has been honoured with an OBE for services to UK/Bangladesh trade and development relations and corporate social responsibility. Tim received this award after many years of working on developing transportation Infrastruct6re but more recently turning his attention to reconstruction and transforming an island destroyed by a natural disaster in Bangladesh.
Since graduating from London University, Tim's career spans over 37 years of which he spent 12 years in the UK and four years in Libya before being posted to Bangladesh in 1987. For the past 21 years Tim has continuously worked in Bangladesh mainly on improving and developing transportation infrastructure for consultancy firm High-Point Rendel (HPR). His work includes the Overseas Development Administration (now known as UK Department for Inlernational Development) Bridges Project and later the Bridge Replacement Project which entailed restoration of 60 bridge crossings. He was involved in construction management of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. "Seeing this bridge completed was a very proud moment for me" says Tim. "I saw this project through from paper to its opening and it remains today the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in Bangladesh. It has significantly contributed to poverty reduction in the area."
Asides from his everyday career Tim has also mentored 13 Roads & Highways Department Officers through their professional examinations.
In the aftermath of cyclone Sidr in November 2007, Tim put his normal duties aside and volunteered his services to act as Project Coordinator in the reconstruction of MaJher Char, a small island in South West Bangladesh which was almost completely destroyed by the cyclone leaveing 164 families homeless. His brief was to build quickly and to build better.' The reconstruction included innovative design of houses using sand/cement blocks and ferrocement roofs instead of conventional bamboo frame and tin roof and walls. The project also provided water harvesting and power supply via solar panels.
"It is such an honour to have received this OBE. My family and friends are so happy and proud of this recognition and I am humbled and gratified by the award," says Tim.
Since graduating from London University, Tim's career spans over 37 years of which he spent 12 years in the UK and four years in Libya before being posted to Bangladesh in 1987. For the past 21 years Tim has continuously worked in Bangladesh mainly on improving and developing transportation infrastructure for consultancy firm High-Point Rendel (HPR). His work includes the Overseas Development Administration (now known as UK Department for Inlernational Development) Bridges Project and later the Bridge Replacement Project which entailed restoration of 60 bridge crossings. He was involved in construction management of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. "Seeing this bridge completed was a very proud moment for me" says Tim. "I saw this project through from paper to its opening and it remains today the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in Bangladesh. It has significantly contributed to poverty reduction in the area."
Asides from his everyday career Tim has also mentored 13 Roads & Highways Department Officers through their professional examinations.
In the aftermath of cyclone Sidr in November 2007, Tim put his normal duties aside and volunteered his services to act as Project Coordinator in the reconstruction of MaJher Char, a small island in South West Bangladesh which was almost completely destroyed by the cyclone leaveing 164 families homeless. His brief was to build quickly and to build better.' The reconstruction included innovative design of houses using sand/cement blocks and ferrocement roofs instead of conventional bamboo frame and tin roof and walls. The project also provided water harvesting and power supply via solar panels.
"It is such an honour to have received this OBE. My family and friends are so happy and proud of this recognition and I am humbled and gratified by the award," says Tim.