Memoirs of an economist, a planner, a patriot

When eminent economist Nurul Islam penned his memoirs in his book, ‘An Odyssey: The Journey of My Life’, he has given the reader much more than just a look into his illustrious and interesting life, both personal and professional. He has given us a chunk of history, of international relations, of economic evolution, of an emergent socio-political matrix, and more. His zest for life and for commitment to the country lives on strong in the pages of this book. He rejected a prestigious job at the World Bank to join as Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission in the newly independent Bangladesh. It would be a challenging and uphill task to build a nation from nothing, but he writes, “Now that what we had dreamed and struggled for in our various capacities in all these years-the yearning for a new nation, had been realised. I could now participate in building a new state.”

Professor Nurul Islam’s book was launched yesterday, Tuesday, at Sonagoan Hotel in the capital city. Published by Prothoma Prokashon, the book is a reflection of the man, his life and his times. Presided over by chairman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Prof Rehman Sobhan, the ceremony was addressed by renowned economists, legal experts, former bureaucrats and past students of the author.

Professor Nurul Islam presently resides in Washington where he is an emeritus research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. During his long career, he had taught at the Dhaka University and had also served in the Planning Commission, in addition to holding other prestigious positions at home and abroad.

Rehman Sobhan read out a written speech of Professor Nurul Islam at the programme. In the message Nurul Islam regretted his inability to attend the launch due to his health. He said, “It will be a great reward to me if I have succeeded in conveying a picture to the younger generation of the social, political and economic conditions of our time. After all, one analyses the present in light of the past for purposes of the future.”

Commenting on the author, Rehman Sobhan said, “Nurul Islam could have been the Amartya Sen of Bangladesh had he become a professor of economics at Harvard University and conducted research work there.” He pointed out that, instead, the economist chose to directly deal with the newly independent Bangladesh’s policy formulation rather than pursue an academic career in the world’s most prestigious institution. Sobhan felt that Nurul Islam’s decision had, in a sense, deprived the world of a Bengali economist of international standard. He had an amazing analytical mind and even in his advanced years sitting in Washington, he still thought deeply about Bangladesh. “But the fire that burns in Washington and the fire that burns in Dhaka do not generate the same heat,” Rehman Sobhan said.

Former finance minister and secretary M Syeduzzaman also spoke on the occasion, saying that it was necessary for the younger generation to know about Nurul Islam. They would benefit by reading this book.

Advisor to the former caretaker government AB Mirza Azizul Islam was a student of Nurul Islam. He said, “He was an inspirational teacher. He was appointed at a very early age as associate professor in Dhaka University. Nowadays it is not likely that such appointments are made without ‘connections’”. It was Nurul Islam who prepared the first five-year plan for the war torn Bangladesh, he pointed out.

Former caretaker government advisor, economist Wahiduddin Mahmud, said he viewed Nurul Islam as the country’s top most economist. He said, “I asked him why he was not returning to the country. He replied that whenever the policymakers would ask, he would be ready to provide advice. But he would not come forward with advice on his own accord. Over the past 30 years, no one asked him for advice and he had no direct contact with any of the policymakers. Once he had written a few pages of recommendations at the behest of a third party, but later learnt no one had even read it.”

Former vice chancellor of East West University Manwarul Islam, a former student of the author, said that the book was aptly named as Nurul Islam’s life was indeed an odyssey, an adventure.

Eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain recalled how, back in 1954 he had attended a student conference in Chicago. Nurul Islam has been at Chicago University at the time. There were only a handful of Bengali students at the conference. He and Nurul Islam had discussed the discrimination in this regard.

Kamal Hossain went on to say, when Bangabandhu was released from jail in Pakistan after Bangladesh’s independence, he had sought out Nurul Islam, saying he would be needed for the country’s economic development.

At the beginning the book launch, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman said, “When I visited the US in 2014, I met with Nurul Islam. I requested him to write his biography. He has been sending his writing to us over the past two years.”

Professor Nurul Islam in his book, perhaps a bit sardonically, comments on the need for an interest and knowledge of the past: “I have often faced questions from my compatriots and others at home and abroad as to why it is necessary to know or read history-economic and political history-of Bangladesh. Is such knowledge essential for those who occupy leadership positions in professions, including academia administration, business, and politics? They are preoccupied with the present and the future. They explore policies and strategies on the basis of analysis of current facts and developments, and to some extent studying the contemporary experiences of other countries. This should be adequate basis for the purposes of policy advice and policymaking. Retired persons like me who obviously have no future have interest and all the time to spend in studying history and its interpretations.”