Two prominent figures of Bangladesh's civil society – the late Dr Akbar Ali Khan and Professor Rounaq Jahan – have received awards in recognition of their excellent efforts to build an informed society.
The Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and the daily Bonik Barta jointly organized the Gunijon Shangbardhona in honor of the renowned personalities at a city hotel on Tuesday.
Noted economist Dr Akbar Ali Khan, who served as an adviser to a caretaker government, and had been finance and cabinet secretary, passed away this year. He was posthumously honoured for his life and work.
The renowned political scientist, distinguished fellow, and trustee of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Professor Rounaq Jahan, a former professor of Columbia University, USA, was honoured for her contributions to research, policymaking and development thoughts.
Dr Akbar Ali Khan's niece Rubina Khan, on behalf of his family, and Professor Rounaq Jahan were handed over crests and sketches in honour of their contributions.
Moderated by Bonik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud, the event was attended by people from all walks of life, including intellectuals, ministers, MPs, academics, researchers, business personalities and ordinary citizens.
Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Advisor Dr Mashiur Rahman, State Minister for Planning Shamsul Alam and State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Mohammad Enamur Rahman, and former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, attended the event, among others.
Foreign Minister Dr AKM Abdul Momen and CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan reminisced on their association with the two eminent personalities throughout their lives and careers.
BIDS Director General Binayak Sen said the reception program, launched in 2014, aims to honor the contribution of people relentlessly working to create a knowledge-based society in Bangladesh.
Leading economist and former adviser to a caretaker government Wahiduddin Mahmud, CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan, and the former finance ministers late Dr Abul Maal Abdul Muhit and M Syeduzzaman are among earlier awardees of Gunijon Shangbardhona.
Life and illustrious career of Akbar Ali Khan
Former advisor to the caretaker government and economist Dr Akbar Ali Khan was born in 1944 at Nabinagar in the Brahmanbaria district.
He studied history at Dhaka University and secured first place in first class in both BA and MA exams. He studied economics at Queen's University Canada and obtained MA and PhD in economics.
He joined the Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP) in 1967. He actively participated in the Liberation War and was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment in absentia by a military court of the occupation forces. He joined the provisional government of Bangladesh as deputy secretary, Ministry of Defence.
Akbar Ali taught development economics and development administration for three years at the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre as a member directing staff. After his retirement, he completed postgraduate courses in governance and development studies departments at Brac University.
He served with distinction in various ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, National Board of Revenue, and Internal Resource Division, in different posts. He served as finance secretary and cabinet secretary.
He was an advisor in charge of the ministries of finance, planning, commerce, post, telegraph and telephones in the caretaker government in 2006. He also served as the first chairman of the Regulatory Reforms Commission during 2007-2009.
He published 14 books and several articles on economics, history, public administration, literature and water resources in various national and international journals.
He was elected fellow of Bangla Academy in 2010 in recognition of his contributions to the economics and history of Bangladesh.
Dr Rounaq Jahan's glorious career
Professor Rounaq Jahan was a Senior Research Scholar and Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at Columbia University (1990-2010), and a professor of Political Science, Dhaka University (1970-1982).
Professor Jahan received her PhD in Political Science from Harvard University, USA. She obtained BA (Honours) and MA degrees from Dhaka University, obtaining a First class in both.
She is the author of several internationally acclaimed books, and has authored numerous articles in edited books and peer-reviewed journals on a wide variety of issues related to politics, governance, democracy, health, gender and development.
Professor Jahan represented Bangladesh in the 32nd Session of the UN General Assembly in 1977 and participated in the drafting of CEDAW. She chaired panel discussions in the NGO forums of all four UN World Conferences on Women: Mexico (1975), Copenhagen (1980), Nairobi (1985) and Beijing (1995).
In addition to academia, she is involved with the work of many civil society organizations. She is the founder of Women for Women, a research and study group in Bangladesh, and is a board member of Research Initiatives, Bangladesh (RIB) and CPD.
She serves on the advisory boards of Human Rights Watch: Asia, New York, South Asia Program of Cornell University, Journal of Human Rights (U-Conn), Journal of Bangladesh Studies (BDI), Social Change (Sage, India) and Protichinta, (Prothoma, Bangladesh).
She is the Chair of the Advisory Group of Bangladesh Health Watch (BHW). Professor Jahan was awarded the Radcliffe Institute Graduate Society award of Harvard University in 2008.
