1. Can you share details about your background, academic journey, and how you entered government service?
I was born and raised in Dhaka, in the Green Road area, although my ancestral village is in Noakhali. My early education began at Sunflower Kindergarten School in Dhanmondi, followed by Rifles Public School. Later, I completed my SSC from Mohammadpur Government Boys’ High School, where I consistently excelled academically, earning scholarships in both Class 5 and Class 8.
After SSC, I studied science at Dhaka College, then pursued my honors and master’s in economics at Dhaka University, where I graduated as first class fourth in my cohort. Before joining the civil service, I worked in corporate finance at BEXIMCO.
In 1995, I joined the 15th batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) and initially served in Dhaka and Gazipur Districts. In 2001, I received a scholarship to study Development Economics at Williams College, Massachusetts, where I graduated with a CGPA of 3.7 and earned a spot on the Dean’s List.
Subsequently, I worked as a Research Assistant for a PhD candidate at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, USA. I passed the qualifier exam on my first attempt and was progressing with my dissertation on implications of aging in the developing economies developing an economic model when I had to return to Dhaka in 2006 due to my father’s critical illness. After his passing that year and my mother’s in 2009, I couldn’t complete my PhD.
Returning to government service, I was posted to the Ministry of Public Administration and, in 2012, to the Economic Relations Division (ERD). There, I held several key roles, including World Bank Wing Chief, Asia Wing Chief, and Development Effectiveness Wing, working on various critical projects.
One of my notable contributions was leading efforts to ensure Bangladesh’s smooth and sustainable graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, beginning in 2017. I played a key role in policy formulation and acted as a consultant for this initiative.
In July 2024, I was appointed to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), and since October 2024, I have been serving as the BGMEA Administrator, fulfilling my responsibilities in this critical role.
2. You have worked extensively at the core policy level, making and implementing policies across various sectors. What are your realizations from this journey, and how has your experience contributed to effective policy implementation?
When I began my career as an Assistant Commissioner, our work focused heavily on micro-management. This early exposure helped us develop strong leadership skills, crisis management capabilities, and practical experience in policy implementation. Working in diverse sectors and with different groups of people gave us a hands-on understanding of challenges at the ground level.
This foundational experience is now invaluable in my current role, where I work at the macro-policy level. It provides me with a practical perspective that bridges the gap between policy design and implementation.
Currently, I am focused on the business sector, particularly SMEs, which play a crucial role in employment generation and economic growth. However, SMEs face significant challenges. Despite their creativity and knowledge, they struggle with financing because our banking system relies heavily on collateral, which SMEs often cannot provide. Additionally, structural barriers such as complex tax systems and regulations make it difficult to integrate them into the formal economy.
The high transaction costs in our banking sector further complicate SME funding. While microfinance has succeeded due to accountability and mutual guarantees, we haven’t developed a similar effective model for SMEs. Yet, these entrepreneurs are incredibly resilient, and with adequate support, they can thrive.
Our young entrepreneurs are highly innovative, but funding support from the government side is limited. Furthermore, there is a lack of synergy between industry and academia. Students conduct research in academia, but without industry collaboration, their innovations remain confined to academic settings. Building better communication between industry and academia is essential to foster innovation and develop a robust ecosystem for young entrepreneurs.
3. Taking charge of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) during challenging times, what are your immediate goals, and how do you plan to address long-term issues in the sector?
EPB’s primary role is to promote exports. My immediate focus is on easing the process of doing business for our exporters. By automating the services we provide, we aim to reduce costs and save time, making the process more efficient and transparent. We are working to bring our support services online, which will minimize transaction costs and enhance service delivery.
For the long term, we are focusing on identifying specific products for specific markets and ensuring value chain and supply chain support for the development of those products. This includes providing both policy and financial support to the sectors that need it most. To achieve this, we are analyzing global market trends, consumer preferences, and market potential with the help of our commercial counselors and local industries.
At the policy level, we are working to facilitate trade by ensuring exporters benefit from opportunities such as bank-guaranteed bond facilities for partial exporters and simplified processes. We are also focused on reforms that will help sustain these changes and make them more impactful.
Additionally, we are working to increase SME participation in international fairs by providing them with financial and technical support. This will help ease their entry into global markets and strengthen their competitiveness.
4. You have taken responsibility for the RMG sector during a highly critical period. How do you perceive the challenges and opportunities, and what steps are you taking to address them?
The RMG sector stands at a pivotal crossroads, facing challenges from the global economic slowdown and rapidly evolving geopolitical dynamics. As the largest trade body, BGMEA has significant influence and plays a crucial role in shaping our broader economic landscape. The government has tasked me with facilitating a proper leadership transition to ensure the sector is led by dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking industry people.
Given that BGMEA deals with global export markets and works with international brands, we need to align with global standards by emphasizing reforms and replenishing leadership with young, innovative thinkers. One key challenge in the RMG industry is balancing the dilemma between fair wages for workers and fair prices for suppliers. This is the ideal time for the government, industry, and global brands to collaboratively ensure fair wages and fair prices using a scientific and objective approach.
While the industry has made significant strides, such as establishing green factories, its success ultimately depends on the workers. Skilled workers are the real assets of this industry, and we are focusing on ensuring proper training, skill development, and fair wages for them. Addressing their grievances and demands through social dialogue is also a priority.
For entrepreneurs, we are supporting them in maintaining compliance and competitiveness. At the same time, we recognize the need for a proper exit policy for businesses that are unable to sustain themselves. Reforms in the banking and capital market are also crucial for the industry’s financial stability. Energy security and an uninterrupted power supply are essential to unlocking the full potential of the RMG and other industrial sectors.
Another critical focus is country branding. Bangladesh should not be seen merely as a source of cheap products. We are working to diversify RMG products and establish Bangladesh as a premium, sustainable, and innovative brand on the global stage. Finally, we aim to foster an understanding among entrepreneurs that workers’ well-being and grievance resolution are directly tied to higher productivity and long-term industry growth.
5. RMG is currently at a transition point, but it is not diversifying as it should. Other sectors are facing similar challenges. What actions do you think are necessary to address this?
All stakeholders share responsibility for this issue. We need advancements in technology, compliance, technical expertise, sustainability, and financial support to drive export diversification.
While RMG has established structures in areas like ESG and governance, other sectors face significant gaps in competing globally. For instance, the leather industry struggles to secure essential international certifications because of lack of adequate capacity of CETP, leading to missed opportunities for efficiency gains. There are substantial gaps in policy formulation and implementation. Additionally, our tax and duty structures often favor domestic businesses over export-oriented ones. Local market standards are rarely enforced, while export markets impose stricter and more complex requirements.
The interim government is currently reforming the NBR system with a pro-business approach. Bangladesh Bank is also taking corrective measures, such as addressing dollar devaluation, which should incentivize exports and help stabilize the macroeconomy.
Another critical issue is that RMG enjoys the significant supports from the government. Similar supports should be extended to other sectors, like leather and furniture, to boost their export potential. The lack of R&D is another major drawback. Product diversification remains limited, and we have yet to develop high-value products. Our export markets are also narrowly focused. To diversify successfully, we need to develop new products and explore new markets. Participation in major expos and international fairs, as seen in the competing countries, is crucial for brand development. However, Bangladesh lacks global representation through local brands, and the gap in skills and R&D hampers our progress.
Attracting FDI is essential to fill the finance gap, transfer technology and knowledge to diversify and facilitate exports. Vietnam’s export success is largely driven by FDI, which brings in financial resources, technical expertise, and skill development. While many RMG entrepreneurs are focused on improving efficiency, other sectors face significant infrastructure challenges. For example, textile and ceramics industry suffer from inconsistent gas supply and frequent power fluctuations, resulting in substantial production losses. Finally, policies related to customs, trade facilitation, and duty structures need urgent reform to enhance export competitiveness.
6. You are working on the transition phase. When do you think we will start seeing its advantages, and which markets do you consider as potential targets for preparation?
The graduation from the LDC status transition brings both challenges and opportunities. While we may lose some trade preferences, we also gain new avenues. For instance, we will lose trade preferences and can enter the European market duty-free. However, in the USA, our largest export market, we still pay duties, which creates a competitive disadvantage.
To prepare, we have developed both short-term and long-term plans since 2018. The industry must focus on enhancing workers’ skills, adopting new technologies, and embracing automation. On the other hand, the government needs to address infrastructural development, financial support, trade facilitation, and improvements in the financial architecture.
Globally, countries like Japan, China, Vietnam, and the USA are facing workforce shortages. Bangladesh, with its large and capable workforce, has a significant advantage, particularly in labor-intensive industries. Our people are our greatest asset, and we need to maximize this potential.
7. How do you see the engagement of youth in emerging markets?
Our youth are incredibly smart and talented. They think globally, unlike the earlier generations that focused on competing locally. The second and third generations of entrepreneurs are negotiating with global industries, proposing new ideas, and introducing value-added products like specialized shoes, suits, and jackets.
While they are a blessing, the sad reality is that they lack adequate support. There is a disconnection between academia and industry, and venture capital is virtually unavailable to support them. Without this support, many brilliant ideas fail to materialize.
I believe established entrepreneurs should step up and support young innovators, even as part of their philanthropic efforts. By doing so, they can fuel the next wave of growth and ensure that the youth have the resources to bring their ideas to life.
8. What are the three most significant strengths of Bangladesh, in your opinion, when it comes to branding the country?
I strongly believe our people, particularly our youth, are the biggest strength of Bangladesh. They are full of potential and promise, making them a key driver for the country’s branding.
The second strength is our resilience. For example, during the recent July movement, we witnessed how people returned to work immediately after the situation normalized on August 6. Similarly, after devastating floods, our people recovered quickly and resumed their daily lives. This resilience defines us as a nation.
The third pillar is sustainability and circularity, which are deeply embedded in our culture. As middle-class people, we utilize waste products for other purposes, whether it’s reusing old clothes, repurposing household items. This inherent culture of sustainability and circularity will provide us with a significant advantage in the long run.
9. What do you do in your free time outside of work?
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends. We often have discussions on professional, academic, sports, and current issues, and I cherish the quality time I spend with my close school friends.
I have a deep love for cricket and never miss watching Bangladesh matches on TV. I’m also passionate about reading books and listening to music. I’m particularly fond of Jagjit Singh’s ghazals and the works of Ustad Sujjat Hussain. Additionally, I enjoy songs by Arijit Singh and A.R. Rahman, especially their plain versions without background music.
Additionally, I spend meaningful time with my family, including my wife, daughter, son, and nephew. These moments with my family are truly precious to me.
