Member, CPD Board of Trustees;
Former Finance Secretary,
Planning Secretary, Secretary for External Resources Division and
Former Minister for Finance, Government of Bangladesh

Educational Qualification

(1956) M.SC (Physics), University of Dhaka

(1963) M.A. (Development Economics), Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA

(1969) Nuffield Foundation Fellow (London, UK)-Study of Exchange and Trade System of the United Kingdom

Major Professional Involvement

1973-76: Secretary, Ministry of Planning and Planning Commission, and Secretary External Resources Division, Government of Bangladesh. Played the key role in negotiating the pre-liberation debts of Bangladesh and organizing a system for management of Foreign Debt. Associated in preparation of the First Five Year Plan of Bangladesh. Responsibility included help in preparation of Government’s annual public investment programme, and coordinator of the economic policies of the Government. Was responsible for negotiation of all external assistance agreements with multilateral and bilateral donors.

1976-77: Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh.

1976-77 & 1982-83: Member, Board of Governors of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).

1977-82: Alternate Executive Director, World Bank, for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka.

1982-83: Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh.

Jan.1984-Dec.1987: Principal Finance Secretary and Advisor to the President in charge of the Ministry of Finance – with the rank and status of a Minister of State, then as a regular Cabinet Minister in charge of the Ministry of Finance (also in charge of the Ministry of Planning in addition, during this period).

Nov.1982-Dec.1987: Played a major role in improving macroeconomic management in Bangladesh, strengthening the balance of payments, and in opening up opportunities to the Private Sector. During this period, particularly during 1984-87 undertook a large number of measures to improve the effectiveness of external assistance, to promote the role of the private sector, and to strengthen Government`s anti-poverty efforts.

Others Professional Involvement

At various times during 1975-87 Governor of the IMF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and IFAD.

Chairman, Board of Governors, Islamic Development Bank, 1984-85.

Led Bangladesh delegations to the annual Aid Group meetings in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987, and represented the Government in various capacities in all the meetings of this Group from its inception in 1974.

1986-1993: Member, Board of Trustees, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington D.C.

1993-1994: Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Government of Kuwait.

1992- to date: Chairman, BOC, Bangladesh Ltd.

1999-2008: Chairman, Bank Asia

2003- to date: Chairman, Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh

2004 – to date: Member, 2020 Initiative, International Advisory Board of IFPRI

2007 – to date: Member, Board of Trustees, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Banos, The Philippines

2002-2008: Chairman, Bangladesh Rice Foundation

2007- to date: Member, International Advisory Board, Mahbubul Haq Human Development Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

Email: info@cpd.org.bd
Telephone: +8802 8813660