Fakhruddin Ahmed
Fakhruddin Ahmed | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 1, 1940 Rob Nagorkandi, Tongibari, Munshiganj, Bangladesh |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, civil servant |
| Known for | 4th Chief Adviser of the Caretaker government of Bangladesh; Governor of Bangladesh Bank |
Fakhruddin Ahmed (; born 1 May 1940) is a Bangladeshi economist and former civil servant who served as the governor of the Bangladesh Bank, the nation’s central banking authority. He also held the position of the 4th Chief Adviser of the Caretaker government of Bangladesh.
On 12 January 2007, Ahmed was appointed as Chief Adviser, leading the non-partisan caretaker administration amid the 2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis. His tenure extended close to two years, surpassing the usual duration, until elections took place on 29 December 2008.
Early life and career
Ahmed was born in Rob Nagorkandi, Tongibari, Munshiganj. He pursued economics at Dhaka University, where he completed his BA (Hons) and MA in 1960 and 1961 respectively, securing the top rank in both cohorts. Later, he earned a master's degree in development economics from Williams College and completed his Ph.D. in economics at Princeton University in 1975. His doctoral research examined migration and employment patterns within Bangladesh’s multisectoral economy.
Before his role as managing director of the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)—the leading microfinance institution in Bangladesh—from 1 June 2005, Ahmed served as the 8th governor of Bangladesh Bank.
2007—2008 caretaker government
Following the dissolution of the preceding interim government, President Iajuddin Ahmed appointed Fakhruddin Ahmed as chief adviser of the caretaker government on 12 January 2007. His leadership is credited with stabilizing the country during a tumultuous political period.
During his administration, over 160 senior politicians, civil servants, and security personnel faced arrest on allegations related to corruption and economic offenses. This group included former ministers from both major political parties—the Bangladesh Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party—such as ex-prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, along with former acting chief adviser Fazlul Haque. Amid escalating political turmoil, President Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency on 11 January 2007 and established a caretaker government supported by military forces, appointing Fakhruddin Ahmed as chief adviser and thereby dissolving his own caretaker administration.
The caretaker government under Fakhruddin Ahmed received commendation for markedly reducing political instability and social unrest. It launched widespread anti-corruption drives in Bangladesh, which was then recognized internationally as one of the most corruption-prone nations. Approximately 160 individuals spanning politicians, officials, and security officers were prosecuted for misappropriation and corrupt practices.
On 3 June 2007, Ahmed fainted during a tree-planting ceremony due to heat exhaustion but was briefly hospitalized and discharged later that day with no serious health concerns.
The parliamentary elections held on 29 December 2008 resulted in a decisive two-thirds majority victory for the Awami League, bringing an end to Fakhruddin Ahmed’s caretaker administration.
Following this period, Ahmed withdrew from public service and currently resides in the United States.
External links
- Fakhruddin Ahmed at Banglapedia
- Interview with Bangladesh's Leader Fakhruddin Ahmed, Time
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1940 births
- 20th-century Bangladeshi economists
- 21st-century Bangladeshi economists
- Living people
- University of Dhaka alumni
- Princeton University alumni
- Williams College alumni
- People from Bikrampur
- Chief advisors of Bangladesh
- Bangladeshi bankers
- Governors of Bangladesh Bank
- Bangladeshi expatriates in the United States