Abul Barkat (economist)
{{Short description|Bangladeshi economist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Abul Barkat
| native_name = আবুল বারকাত
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Abul Barakat (cropped).jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|9|27}}
| birth_place = Kushtia District, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| education = PhD (Economics)
| alma_mater = Moscow Institute of National Economy, now Plekhanov Russian University of Economics
| occupation = Researcher, economist, professor
| awards =
}}
Abul Barkat (born September 27, 1954) is a Bangladeshi economist and a professor in the Department of Economics, University of Dhaka. In addition to his teaching, from 2009 to 2014 he was the former chairman of Janata Bank Ltd.{{cite web|url=http://www.dhaka.gov.bd/node/449407|title=dhaka.gov.bd|access-date=2014-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205190022/http://www.dhaka.gov.bd/node/449407|archive-date=2013-12-05|url-status=dead}} He is the present elected president of the Bangladesh Economic Association. He is a freedom fighter.[http://redtimesbd24.com/2014/02/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4/ redtimesbd24] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303132803/http://redtimesbd24.com/2014/02/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4/ |date=March 3, 2014 }}
Early life and education
Barkat was born on September 27, 1954, in Kushtia District to his parents Abul Quasem and Mst Nurun Nahar. Abul Barkat is the third child of his parents. His wife is Shahida Akhter. They have three daughters. Abul Barkat passed SSC exam from Kushtia Zilla School in 1970 and HSC from Kushtia Government College in 1973, both with first division with distinction. Abul Barkat graduated from Moscow Institute of National Economy, now Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in 1978 obtaining highest grades in all courses with honors first class and then completed a PhD from the same institute, in development economics in 1982.
Career
In 1982, Barkat started his professional career by joining the Department of Economics in University of Dhaka. He is the immediate past chairman of the same department. He was the Chairman of Janata Bank Limited from 2009 to 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.janatabank-bd.com/topmng1.htm|title=Overview of the Bank|website=janatabank-bd.com|access-date=2014-03-03|archive-date=2014-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303110303/http://www.janatabank-bd.com/topmng1.htm|url-status=dead}} After his appointment he refused a company car, and special lifts and chairs for himself.{{Cite web |date=2009-09-23 |title=Barakat sets noble mark Signals he means simple business in Janata |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-106700 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
During Barkat's chairmanship at Janata Bank, about Tk. 5,504 crore loan or 25 percent of bank's capital base, was provided to AnonTex Group, owned by Md Younus Badal.{{Cite web |date=2018-02-07 |title=Janata Bank Loan Scam: Whole bank was in it |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/janata-bank-loan-scam-whole-bank-was-it-1531045 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Janata Bank loan scandal must be investigated |url=https://dailyasianage.com/news/107182/janata-bank-loan-scandal-must-be-investigated}} He criticized Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Minister of Finance, for questioning the governance of Janata Bank and denying an extension to his chairmanship. Barkat said Muhith was not loyal to either Awami League or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and had undue favors from the CSR fund.{{Cite web |title=Ex-Janata Bank chief Barkat questions Muhith's honesty |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/ex-janata-bank-chief-barkat-questions-muhith-s-honesty |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Ex-Janata Bank chief Barkat questions Muhith's honesty |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2014-09-09 |title=Muhith lashes out Abul Barakat |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/Muhith-lashes-out-Abul-Barakat-3 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}} He called Muhith a "retard" two years later.{{Cite web |last= |title=Prof Abul Barkat calls Finance Minister Muhith a 'retard' |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/prof-abul-barkat-calls-finance-minister-muhith-a-retard |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Bdnews24.com |language=en}}
Barkat was elected president of the Bangladesh Economic Association at the end of 2017.{{cite news |title=Barakat elected president of Economic Association |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2017/12/24/barakat-elected-president-economic-association |work=Dhaka Tribune |date=24 December 2017}}
Barakt received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 2022.{{cite web|title=Conferral of "the Order of the Rising Sun" upon Prof. Dr. Abul Barkat and "the Order of the Sacred Treasure" upon Mr. Khan Jahangir Alam, Mr. Samar Cruze, Mr. Abdul Gafur, Mr. Sujit Kumar Barua, and Mr. Parimal Barua|publisher=Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh |url=https://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/pr31022.html}}
Personal life
Barkat was married to Sahida Akhtar, a medical doctor, who died on 6 May 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-06 |title=Janata Bank mourns Dr Sahida Akhtar's death |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/obituary/janata-bank-mourns-dr-sahida-akhtars-death-242524 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}
References
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Category:University of Dhaka alumni
Category:Academic staff of the University of Dhaka
Category:20th-century Bangladeshi economists
Category:Plekhanov Russian University of Economics alumni
Category:20th-century Bangladeshi writers
Category:20th-century Bangladeshi male writers
Category:21st-century Bangladeshi economists
Category:21st-century male writers