Arshad-uz Zaman graduated from the Calcutta University in 1947 and studied at the Institute Etudes Politiques of the Paris University. He started his career as a journalist and worked for the Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Karachi. He then joined the Pakistan Government and was assigned as Press Attache in Istanbul, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Bonn. He also served as Public Relations Officer of Pakistan President Field Marshal Ayub Khan. He served as Director of Public Relations and Joint Secretary Government of East Pakistan during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. He joined the Government of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Prime Minister, as Director-General External Publicity and later worked as Chief of Protocol. He served as Bangladesh Ambassador in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, Senegal, Gambia, and Egypt. He was elected to the post of Assistant Secretary-General, Organisation of Islamic Conference. He was adviser to Sheikh Hasina, present Prime Minister. Arshad-uz Zaman contributes articles on current and international affairs in national dailies and weeklies of Bangladesh. He writes regular columns in the Daily Star, the daily Janakantha, and weekly Dhaka Courier.