Atiur
Rahman is the Governor of Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of the country. A
development economist of Bangladesh, he is noted for writing on popular
economic issues, and has written a good number of books both in Bengali and
English.
Early
life
From
a very humble background Atiur Rahman rose to the top echelon of the society.
He was born in a remote village in Jamalpur district in 1951. His father who
was a landless farmer had received no schooling in his life. Atiur went to the
school but had to quit after grade-III because of poverty. However his strong
determination and will power made him conquer all the barriers. He had to sit
for the class IV final examinations without attending any class. But when the
result came out, his name topped the list.
Education
Atiur's
mother came off a better background and was literate. It was she who was
Atiur's first teacher. Atiur went to the village school till gradeVI. After
grade-VI he wanted to go to a Cadet College for better education. Eventually he
got admitted to the prestigious Mirzapur Cadet College of the-then Mymensingh
in grade-VII. A school teacher of the village Foyez Moulavi collected charity
to facilitate his admission. Considering his financial inability, the college
authority granted him free tuition. Thus he could continue at the college from
where he passed the SSC and HSC examinations with outstanding results securing
positions in the merit list both times. He went to the Dhaka University for
studying economics. After obtaining BSS and MSS in Economics, he applied for
Commonwealth scholarship and was successful. He went to SOAS, London, from
where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1977. His Ph.D. thesis later came out as a book
under the title "Peasants and Classes" published by the Oxford
University Press, which is much admired by the economists worldwide and is
being used as a reference book in many universities throughout the world.
Work
On 29
April 2009, he was appointed as the governor of Bangladesh Bank, the central
bank of the country, for a tenure of four years. He assumed charge on 3 May
2009. He is the 10th governor of the Bangladesh Bank, succeeding Dr. Salehhddin
Ahmed. Till then he was a professor in the department of Development Studies at
the Dhaka University. Before that he had worked at the Bangladesh Institute of
Development Studies in different capacities for nearly 28 years and retired as
Senior Research Fellow on 4.4.2006. He also served as director of the
state-owned Sonali Bank, the largest in Bangladesh. In 2001, government
appointed him as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Janata Bank, the
second-largest in the country. In 1994,
he established a development NGO under the title Unnayan Samannay which grew
into an excellent centre for research, development and cultural learning in
Bangladesh. He was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shamunnay till
taking up the job of the governor of Bangladesh. In 2006 he joined the Dhaka
University in the department of Development Studies as a professor. Also,
he has played a major role in the much publicized microcredit revolution in
Bangladesh serving in Mohammed Yunus' National Task Force on Poverty
Eradication. He worked as Project Director or Team Leader of as many as twenty
international and fifty national development projects of the country. He was
also involved in the management of a number of socio-cultural organizations
including Credit Development Forum, Monajatuddin Smriti Sangsad, Bangladesh
Economic Association and Asiatic Society and BangIa Academy.
Poverty
alleviation
Atiur
Rahman has distinguished himself as an expert on poverty alleviation. It is his
pet area and he has been engaged in first hand research to find the causes of
poverty and means of remedy. One of the most important researches is his work
on char (shoal) dwellers and poverty alleviation.
Publications
Atiur
Rahman is a popular newspaper columnist who often writes on poverty, public
expenditure, economic development, public welfare and such other socio-economic
issues. He has published 45 titles as of 2009, of which 16 are in English and
29 in Bengali. Some of his publications are as follows:
Bengali language
·
Agami Diner Bangladesh: Ekusa
sataker Unnayana Bhabana, Pathak Samabes,
· Alo andharer Bangladesh:
Manab Unnayaner Sambhabana O Cyalenja, Mawla Bradarsa,
·
Apaunnayan: Samakalin
Bangladesher Arthaniti, Samajniti, Pyapirasa,
·
Janaganer Bajet:
Amsagrahanamulaka Pariprekshita, Pathaka Samabesa,
·
Susaner Sandhane Anyaprakas,
·
Svapnera Bangladesh, Khunje
Phera, Dipti Prakasani,
·
Unnayan alap: Arthaniti,
Paribesa O Unnayana Bitarka, Pathaka Samabesa,
·
English language
· Beel Dakatia: The
Environmental Consequences of a Development Disaster, University Press,
· Early Impact of Grameen, a
Multi-Dimensional Analysis: Outcome of a BIDS Research Study, Bangladesh
Institute of Development Studies and Grameen Trust,
· Education for Development:
Lessons from East Asia for Bangladesh Institute of Southeast Asian Studies,
·
Peasants and Classes: A Study
in Differentiation in Bangladesh Zed Books, Limited,
· Peasants and Classes: A Study
in Differentiation in Bangladesh: Hardcover, Zed Books, Limited,
· People's Report, 2002–2003,
Bangladesh Environment by United Nations Development Programme, Bangladesh,
Unnayan Shamannay (Organization : Bangladesh) Unnayan Shamannay,
· People's Report, 2004-2005:
Bangladesh Environment by United Nations Development Programme, Bangladesh,
Unnayan Shamannay (Organization : Bangladesh
· Sustainable Environment
Management Programme (Bangladesh), Unnayan Shamannay,
Awards
and recognition
Atiur
Rahman was awarded the Atish Dipankar Gold Medal in 2000 and the Chandrabati
Gold Medal in 2008.
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