Syed Refaat Ahmed obtained his first degree in Law from the University of Dhaka. Thereafter he studied Law at Wadham College, University of Oxford, and International Relations at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Refaat Ahmed began his career as a lawyer with the London offices of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International S.A. Thereafter he worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in its offices in Hong Kong and Washington, D.C. He is an Advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.