Nurul Islam is a Bangladeshi economist. Islam is noted for his part in the independence war of Bangladesh from Pakistan in the early seventies as well as for his leadership role in the economy, from 1972 to 1975, as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. He was one of the closest advisors to, and confidants of,

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ( bn, শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান; 17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), often shortened as Sheikh Mujib or Mujib and widely known as Bangabandhu (meaning ''Friend of Bengal''), was a Bengalis, Beng ...

, the founding father and first Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and also the father of the current prime minister. Islam has mentored many Bengali political and power players (including

Fakhruddin Ahmed Fakhruddin Ahmed (born 1 May 1940) is a Bangladeshi economist, civil servant, and a former governor of the Bangladesh Bank, the country's central bank. On 12 January 2007, he was appointed Chief Adviser (Head of the Government) of the non-p ...

and

Muhammad Yunus Muhammad Yunus (born 28 June 1940) is a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance ...

). He served as the Deputy Chairman of the first Planning Commission of Bangladesh. He is a primary contributor to the 6-Point Programme presented to the West Pakistan government during the struggle for independence. In 1961, Islam,

Rehman Sobhan Rehman Sobhan ( bn, রেহমান সোবহান; born 12 March 1935) is a Bangladeshi economist. Regarded as one of the country's top public thinkers, he is the founder of the Centre for Policy Dialogue. Sobhan is an icon of the Bangl ...

and Habibur Rehman organised a seminar on the economic disparities between West and East Pakistan, which was instrumental in stirring up support for independence. He received the Bangladesh Bank Award (2009) for his contributions to theoretical and applied development economics. He has authored 29 books.

Background and education

Islam grew up in Chittagong. He completed his IA from

Chittagong College Chittagong College is a government college in Chittagong, Bangladesh. It is the second college established in Bangladesh after Dhaka College. It offers higher secondary education (HSC), bachelor's degree and master's degree. History Having begun ...

. After studying in

Presidency college, Calcutta Presidency University, Kolkata (formerly known as Presidency College, Kolkata) is a second major public state aided research university located in College Street, Kolkata. Considered as one of best colleges when Presidency College was affili ...

and the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

, he earned his PhD in economics from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1955.

Career

Islam joined the University of Dhaka as an associate professor of economics in 1960. In 1965, he left the university to become the director of the

Pakistan Institute of Development Economics The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (popularly known as PIDE) () is a post-graduate research institute and a public policy think tank located in the vicinity of Islamabad, Pakistan. Founded in 1957 by the Government of Pakist ...

(later

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies The Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ উন্নয়ন গবেষণা প্রতিষ্ঠান (বিআইডিএস)) is an autonomous multi-disciplinary public research organi ...

), and government cabinet minister as Head of the first Planning Commission of Bangladesh. He returned to Dhaka in 1969. Islam was a Nuffield Foundation fellow at the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

and at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. He also served as a Rockefeller fellow at the Netherlands School of Economics, and was a fellow at

St Antony's College, Oxford St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1950 as the result of the gift of French merchant Sir Antonin Besse of Aden, St Antony's specialises in international relations, economic ...

. Islam served as the Assistant Director General, Economic and Social Policy Department of

Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...

(FAO) and as the head of the Bangladesh Planning Commission (a cabinet-level post) of the first

Government of Bangladesh The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার — ) is the central executive government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Con ...

during 1972–75.

Works

* ''Development Strategy of Bangladesh'' (1978) * ''Development Planning in Bangladesh: A Study in Political Economy'' (1979) * ''Foodgrain Price Stabilization in Developing Countries: Issues and Experiences in Asia'' (1996) * ''Exploration in Development Issues: Selected Articles of Nurul Islam'' (2003) * ''Making of a Nation, Bangladesh: An Economist's Tale'' (2003) * ''An Odyssey: The Journey of My Life'' (2017)

Personal life

As of 2021, Islam resides with his wife Rowshan in

Potomac, Maryland Potomac () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, named after the nearby Potomac River. Potomac is the seventh most educated small town in America, based on percentage of residents with postsecondary deg ...

and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

He is the father of economist Roumeen Islam, and entrepreneur Nayeem Islam. His granddaughter Leila Islam is a student at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Awards

* Bangladesh Bank Award (2009) * BDI Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)

Background and education

Career

Works

Personal life

Awards

References

Further reading