What exactly would I say if I had to tell the story of Professor Hafiz GA Siddiqi?
That he was the most pragmatic business professor I have ever known? That he was the pioneer of the private university education system in our country? Or maybe how he was an always-smiling, ever-inspiring, down-to-earth guy?
He was all of the above and more.
I have known Professor Hafiz GA Siddiqi personally and professionally, thanks to a stint during my academic career at North South University. I have been fortunate enough to admire him as I saw him at work up close.
Professor Hafiz GA Siddiqi was possibly the most distinguished and stellar business professor of our times, with many adornments to his name such as former director of IBA, Dhaka University, and former vice-chancellor of NSU. He was an esteemed teacher with almost 50 years of experience, encompassing both home and abroad.
Dr Siddiqi started his teaching career at IBA, where he served for 20 years. His brilliant teaching methods and performance ultimately earned him the director’s chair at the institute. He then moved to the US, and taught as professor of international business and management at two universities for eight years, after which he returned to his homeland and joined the then newly established NSU.
When it came to being a “business” professor, he was the real deal. I wrote an article some time ago highlighting how business schools in our country are run like any other school, which needs to change. Professor Hafiz GA Siddiqi understood that, even before there were private business schools to run in this country.
He instilled in his pupils the importance of corporate integrity and moral courage. He trained his students to become good businesspeople, and also good human beings. The professor believed his pupils should not only create value through profit-generation, they should equally focus on protecting the planet. He expected his graduates to serve social and business causes alike, and strive for peace and justice.
Professor Siddiqi always emphasized on three things which made for a good university: Brilliant students, high profile teachers, and the best employers.
He regretted that in Bangladesh, we still do not have comprehensive universities which cover high-quality teaching, research, and public services. Research is yet to be “standard” research, and the concept of public service is still not there in most universities.
Professor Siddiqi didn’t just talk about how it’s done -- he showed how it’s done. He would sit on the board of directors of companies to see how things work in the industry, how it’s different from the books taught in business schools. He would question the decisions made to learn from the situation. I have had the pleasure and luck to answer those questions a couple of times.
He encouraged the idea of business schools being linked to the industry in all of its activities. Business can’t be learned from books only. While theory can never be discarded and shunned as many scholars do, on the other end of the spectrum, practicality should always play a role in business, he used to say.
Professor Siddiqui focused on quality assurance of teaching underpinning the significance of well-designed academic program which can create employment opportunity even in the international market. Highly educated and experienced faculties coupled with quality students can do wonders.
He urgeduniversities to have enough tools to attract brilliant students, which they can do by providing more scholarships for students with the help of the alumni. He was adamant on having good infrastructure and best management practices and good governance across business schools and universities.
In addition to teaching, Dr Siddiqi was engaged in research, consultancy, and business. A consultant for many world-renowned organisations and adviser to numerous government agencies, he has authored several books, and was considered an authority on the RMG industry.
Professor Siddiqi did so much for IBA, but perhaps even more for private university education in our country. With the growing numbers of students, public universities would be at a loss to accommodate all. The timely rise of private universities saved our youth and progressed our economy (we are now on the verge of overcoming India in terms of per capita growth) to a greater extent than we can imagine.
The man behind that intervention was our beloved Professor Siddiqi. Dr Siddiqi’s former students are now at the helm of multinational organizations, in the domestic top corporate tier, or are driving changes in regulatory bodies.
For more than 45 years, he tirelessly moulded future leaders in various sectors of our economy. All business students and upcoming professionals in our country owe a great debt to this man who never sought out adorations.
He worked for the benefit of us, and now we are left with his benevolence, teachings, and his legacy. I am sad that we have lost this great man, but his career will continue to inspire both myself and the many teachers and students to come. He was, after all, a teacher of the teachers.
Mamun Rashid is a business professor and managing partner at PwC Bangladesh.
