Geeteara Safiya Choudhury has been a ground-breaking pioneer as a woman in Bangladesh. From starting her own advertising firm Adcomm Ltd. to becoming the first female president of Dhaka Club and subsequently becoming an adviser to the caretaker government, she has been an inspiration and role model for countless people, regardless of age and gender. She is one of the pioneers in the development of the modern advertising industry in Bangladesh. Adcomm Ltd. is one of the leading advertising & communication companies in Bangladesh.
Journalism
Geeteara Safiya Choudhury spent her student life writing for different newspapers printed from Kolkata, Karachi and Dhaka. She worked for four years as an assistant editor of The Pakistan Observer’s (now The Bangladesh Observer) Children, Women and Entertainment pages. She spent two years working in “She” magazine in Karachi as Senior Editor. While working for ‘She Magazine’, she became interested in advertising and worked as a part-time copywriter.
Advertising
Geeteara Safiya Choudhury entered the world of advertising in 1972, leaving spectators spellbound with her creativity and sheer inquisitiveness. She spent two years working in one of the leading advertising agencies of that time– Interspan, in Dhaka and later became its executive vice president. After leaving this agency, she was told and inspired by multiple people, to open up her own advertising agency. But she lacked the capital to do so. After contacting 6 banks for the initial capital, she finally acquired Tk. 50,000 bank loan from the 7th bank she approached. Finally, in the year 1974, she took a gallant step and established her own advertising agency Adcomm with only 6 people. She was at that time approached by UNICEF, which offered her a job with Tk. 100,000 remuneration, a car and free education for her children anywhere in the world. But she turned down that offer for the sake of her own agency which she firmly believed could serve her own nation, Bangladesh. With great determination and effort, she built up her agency to become one of the leading advertising agencies in the country.
In addition to overseeing the work of her own advertising agency, she has lectured at various universities on women and children, advertising and communication. In the early 2000s, Adcomm partnered up with a Danish advertising agency to start GraphicPeople and SoftwarePeople. These are among the leading advertising digital studios in the world and amongst the highest IT exporters from Bangladesh.
Adviser to the Government of Bangladesh (2006-2007)
Geeteara Safya Choudhury served as an advisor to the caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Textiles and Jute, Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
Personal and educational life
Geeteara Safya Choudhury is the eldest of six children of his father MAFM Saffiyullah and mother Jahanara Begum. She married businessman Nazim Kamran Choudhury on 26 April 1969. Nazim Farhan Choudhury and Fahima Choudhury are her children. She is the granddaughter of the world-renowned linguist Dr Mohammad Shahidullah.
Geeteara Safiya Choudhury was a student at St. Xavier’s Convent, a well-known educational institution in Dhaka. She obtained her Honors and Master’s degrees in English Literature from Dhaka University.
Recognition, awards, and honors
Geeteara Safiya Choudhury became the first female member of the Dhaka Club in 1978. She has also served as the President of the Dhaka Club. Her accomplishments in the field of advertising has set high standards and won her innumerable acclaim and fanfare.
