Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Cumilla
Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) in Cumilla observed the 27th death anniversary of its founder and first chief executive, Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan, on October 9, paying tribute to his pioneering contributions to rural development.
On the occasion, officials and employees of BARD placed floral wreaths at his mural. A milad mahfil and special prayers were also held at BARD Jame Mosque.
Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan, a renowned social scientist, earned international recognition for his pioneering work in rural development. BARD gained worldwide recognition for the Comilla Model of rural development, developed under his leadership in the 1960s.
Born in Agra, India, on July 15, 1914, Dr Khan obtained an MA in English literature from Agra University in 1934. He subsequently joined the prestigious Imperial Civil Service (ICS) under British India. As an ICS probationer, he studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge, in England, from 1936 to 1938.
In 1944, he resigned from the Imperial Civil Service over the colonial administration's inhuman attitude towards the devastating famine of 1943. He then began working as a labourer and lock repairer in a village in Aligarh, India, leaving the work two years later.
From 1947, he taught for three years at Jamia Millia in Delhi. In 1950, he joined Cumilla Victoria College as its principal.
In 1954–55, he was deputed as director of the East Pakistan government's V-AID programme. In 1958, he went to Michigan State University to gain experience in rural development.
After returning, he joined the then Pakistan Academy for Rural Development, now BARD, as its first chief executive. He later served as vice-chairman of the academy's governing body.
A pioneer of rural development, Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan died in the United States on October 9, 1999.
Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan's pioneering vision transformed rural development in the region and established the Comilla Model as an internationally recognised approach to rural progress. His emphasis on people's participation, self-reliance and grassroots institutions left a lasting impact on rural development initiatives and continues to inspire development practitioners worldwide. #EK