The independence of Bangladesh was achieved through the effort and sacrifice of people from all walks of life. Intellectuals played an important role in this struggle. Among the economists, four professors stood out for their distinguished roles. They were Professor Nurul Islam, Professor Mosharaff Hossain, Professor Md Anisur Rahman, and Professor Rehman Sobhan.
In order to inspire and encourage future generations to take up public roles similar to those played by these economists, Dr. Nazrul Islam, Former Chief of Development Research at UN DESA and Founder of the Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN), authored a paper titled ‘Our Debt to the Four Professors: Nurul Islam, Mosharaff Hossain, Md. Anisur Rahman, Rehman Sobhan’.
The paper aimed to pay a tribute to the four professors by recounting their contributions in a comparative framework and revisiting the autonomy movement, the Liberation War, and the early years of nation-building to have a clearer understanding of the related events and issues.
In this context, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised an in-house discussion on Tuesday, 24 January 2023.
The Chair of the session, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow, CPD, commented, ‘These four professors are iconic figures, deeply ingrained in our history; their lives are a part of history itself. Serving as teachers to our nation, they have evolved into public intellectuals over the course of time’.
In his keynote presentation, Dr. Nazrul Islam emphasised, ‘The paper will illuminate both the similarities and differences in their contributions. The added value lies in dissecting the variations in their roles on specific issues, enabling a more profound understanding of those issues’.
‘Moreover, it provides an opportunity to relive and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences during the autonomy movement, the Liberation War, and the nation-building efforts in the early post-Liberation years’, he added.
Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow, CPD, highlighted that what distinguishes these four professors is their remarkable courage and sacrifice.
‘Many, including myself, were not fortunate enough to interact with the four professors directly. In their era, they had the privilege to embody conviction and courage, qualities that defined them as great leaders’, remarked, Dr Atonu Rabbani, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Dhaka.
Professor Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, CPD, shared his experiences in the Planning Commission with the other three professors and said, ‘We were four very different people, and our views were, in many ways, quite divergent. This, in a way, became a critical element in how the Planning Commission functioned’.
‘We were functioning in four silos, each engaged in our own particular tasks. Professor Nurul Islam was looking after the macroeconomy and engaging in negotiations; Professor Mosharaff Hossain was entirely absorbed in agriculture and the rural sector, and in the preparation of the five-year plans; and Professor Md Anisur Rahman was involved in activities outside the Planning Commission’ he added.
The discussion was attended by researchers, academics and CPD officials, many of whom participated and shared their valuable insights.