UN appoints Dr Nazrul Islam as Chief of Development Research

Dr. Nazrul Islam, BEN

The United Nations has appointed Dr. Nazrul Islam, an eminent economist from Bangladesh, as Chief of Development Research. In this position, Dr. Islam will lead the preparation of UN flagship reports on global development issues and provide policy input and advise to the senior management of the organization.

Dr. Nazrul earned his Ph. D. in economics from Harvard University and M. Sc. In economics from Moscow State University. He taught at Dhaka University, Harvard University, Emory University, Kyushu University, and St. John’s University and joined the United Nations in 2006. Dr. Nazrul earned international reputation for his contribution to several areas of economics, including growth, transition, sustainable development, and political economy. He has published twenty books and numerous articles in reputed international journals.

Much of Dr. Nazrul’s research is directed to development issues of Bangladesh. He has published ten books and many articles on these issues both inside the country and abroad. These include Development Problem of Bangladesh (1987, in Bangla); Bangladesh of the Future (2012, in Bangla); Let the Delta be a Delta – The Way to Protect Rivers of Bangladesh (2016); and Governance for Development: Political and Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh (2016). Dr. Nazrul takes deep interest and is actively engaged in protection of Bangladesh’s environment.

He founded Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) in 1998 and initiated the formation of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) in 2000.

Dr. Nazrul is married to Dr. Tanvira Islam, a psychiatrist, and lives in New York with his son (Rahul) and daughter (Nusaybah). – Press release