Publications: 2018
An article titled “Policy Analysis: A Practitioner’s Musings” was published in The Financial Express dated 17 January, 2018. The article discussed that rationale for policy analysis, steps involved in policy analysis and challenges in Bangladesh for objective policy-making. The article also offered suggestion for improved policy making based on meeting data gaps, ensuring that data generated meet high quality standards and cultivating a spirit of non- interference in collection of data.
Other Activities
04 January: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam spoke as a special guest in a seminar organized by the Planning Commission. The Minister for Planning was the Chief Guest. Prime Minister’s Economic Advisor was also a special guest. Keynote papers were presented by two leading economists, Professor Wahidduddin Mahmud and Professor S.R. Osmani. The justifications for rebasing GDP estimation which currently uses 2005-06 as the base year, inclusion of excluded or underestimated items, inaccuracy or inconsistency of data published by the Bureau of Statistics and its limitations in terms of both professional competence and the number of officials were reviewed.
08 January: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam attended and made intervention in an Expert Group meeting organized by Bangladesh Bank. The participants included many eminent economists and bankers of Bangladesh. The topic of discussions was desirable stance of the upcoming Monetary Policy Statement in light of recent developments in the financial sector governance and growth of credit to the private sector.
19 January: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam was a participant in a TV talk show broadcast by RTV. The other participants were Dr. Toufic Ahmad Choudhury, Director General, BIBM and Mr. Nizam Uddin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NRB Global Bank. The recent unpleasant developments in the banking sector were reviewed and in that light questions were raised about the Government’s decision to increase the number of family members in a bank’s Board and to prolong their tenure.
20 January: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam along with Mr. Shakil Choudhury, former President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries participated in a TV program broadcast by News 24. The discussions focused on practically the same issues as noted just above.
23 January: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam was a designated discussant at the launching ceremony of the autobiography of Prof. Nurul Islam, Deputy Chairman of the first Planning Commission of Bangladesh, recently published by Prothoma Prokashoni. The title of the publication is An Odyssey: The Journey of My Life. The ceremony was presided over by Prof Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). The other discussants were Mr. Manwarul Islam, Former Vice-Chancellor of East West University, Mr. M. Syeduzzaman, Former Finance Minister, and Prof. Wahiduddin Mahmud, a leading economist and former Professor of Dhaka University.
From right, Wahiduddin Mahmud, an economist; M Syeduzzaman, former finance minister; Rehman Sobhan, chairman of CPD; AB Mirza Azizul Islam, former finance adviser; and Manwarul Islam, former VC of East West University, attend the launch of an autobiography of Prof Nurul Islam, at the capital's Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel yesterday.