Shah Abdul Hanan

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Shah Abdul Hannan(1939- ) Shah Abdul Hannan is a pioneer in Islamic political thought, Islamic economics and social studies. As a writer and a thinker, his achievements and contribution to society give him an outstanding status among the intellectuals of Bangladesh. And his contribution in Islamic economics and in the Islamic banking system has remained unsurpassed. At present, he is involved in various roles with many social, philanthropic and Islamic organizations including Bangladesh Institution of Islamic Thought and Islamic Economics Research Bureau.

1 Early Life
2 Service Life
3 Social worker
4 Islamic thinker
5 Current Life
6 References
7 External Link

[edit] Early Life

Shah Abdul Hannan was born in Mymensingh district, what is now in Bangladesh, in 1939. He started his school in Netrokona town, now a district head quarter of Bangladesh. However, he had much of his early schooling from the Bar Academy High School in Narayangonj in Bangladesh. Then he passed matriculation examination from Jessore Zila School in 1955 and got himself admitted to Dhaka Collage and completed higher secondary certificate course from there. Like many other brilliant students of his time, he completed his Bachelor of Arts course from the then Jagannath College (now Jagannath University) Dhaka. He was a student activist and debater during his collage life. Mr Hannan passed the Bachelor of Arts examination with distinction and stood 2nd in the merit list in the country. Then he studied political science at the University of Dhaka and completed his Master of Arts degree from there in 1961 obtaining the first position. He was actively involved in the student movement during his time at the University of Dhaka.

[edit] Service Life

After completing M.A., Mr. Hannan worked as a lecturer in a collage in Dhaka for some time. In 1963 he joined the Pakistan Civil Service and was selected for the customs department. On 19 November 1963 he joined the Finance Service Academy of Pakistan at Lahore as a trainee. After successful completion of that training, he joined as an assistant collector of customs in Chittagong what is now in Bangladesh. After the independence of Bangladesh he was appointed the second secretary of the newly formed National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh. He was one of the first two officers of the Board.

He worked there for a long time. His contribution to establish the NBR as an effective organization was important. He worked to reconstruct the NBR as a national regulatory body for the tax and revenue collection of the newly independent country. In 1985 he was appointed Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He worked there for two years. In the year 1992 he was appointed a deputy governor of the Bangladesh Bank. As the Deputy Governor of the central bank, he was the Project Director of Reforms of the Banking System project funded by the World Bank. It was at that time that the Banking Act was amended to include few sections to facilitate Islamic banking and to modernize it, requiring banks to maintain capital on the basis of assets. Bank computerization was upgraded, research capability was increased, the loan classification system was made of an international standard and a system of analysis of risk of credit proposals (CRA) was introduced. These were major changes which are having an effect on the future of banking and finance in the country. He introduced the credit rating agency system in Bangladesh which helps settle loan applications quickly and reduce banking frauds.

During his tenure in the National Board of Revenue as a member, he was the key person in introducing the Value added tax (VAT) system in Bangladesh. He was the chairman of the value added tax cell. He worked very hard to introduce the modern tax system in Bangladesh. He was promoted to the rank of a secretary and was put in charge of the ministry of social welfare in 1995 and then of the banking division. In 1997 he was appointed the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). He retired from government service in 1998.

After retirement from service, he engaged himself in many Islamic, social, economic and research organizations. He was elected the Chairman of the Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. and remained in that important post for 4 years. He is now a member of the Central Sharia Council of Islami Banks of Bangladesh and takes similar advisory roles in some other Islamic banks and financial institutions. He is also serving as the Chairperson of the Islamic Economics Research Bureau based in Dhaka.

[edit] Social worker

Shah Abdul Hannan is involved in versatile, multifaceted social activities. He is one of the founders of the IBN SINA Trust, the biggest social welfare Trust in the country that has set up medical laboratories, hospitals, medical check-up and diagnostic centres, consultation centres, a pharmaceutical industry and a medical college. It is a pioneering name in the field of health care in Bangladesh and undertakes many types of social welfare activities. He is actively involved with the Trust. He is involved in an organization called ACSRB (Association of Correction and Social Reclamation, Bangladesh). This organization has set up a shelter for morally distressed women (such as prostitutes and offenders). He actively participates in annually observing a day commemorating Sobmeher, a girl who was kidnapped and then murdered by criminals involved in prostitution. The day is observed to create awareness of the moral danger of this profession to all and women in particular and of how women are oppressed and exploited in society.

He was actively involved in the establishment of the first private university in Bangladesh – North South University. He played an important role also in establishing some other private universities like Darul Ehsan University, [[Asian University of Bangladesh][ and International Islamic University, Chittagong. Shah Abdul Hannan served two times as the acting vice-chancellor of Darul Ehsan University.

He was the Chairman of an educational institution, Institute of Resource Development (IRD) that later on merged with the International Islamic University, Chittagong, of which he is now the Advisor. He is the Chairperson of the Manarat Trust and a syndicate member of the Manarat International University, Dhaka.

[edit] Islamic thinker

Shah Abdul Hannan is widely known for his contribution broadly in the field of Islamic knowledge, especially that relating to economic and social issues. He is one of the pioneers who introduced the idea of the Islamic banking system in Bangladesh and promoted the theory that banking without interest is possible and profitable. His contribution to develop laws and regulations for Islamic banking during his govt. service gave a great leap forward to the Islamic banking system in Bangladesh. He greatly contributed to the research project of the codification of Islamic law, a multi-volume scheme of the Islamic Foundation of Bangladesh. His scholarship and activism towards establishing the rights of women within the framework of Islam has greatly influenced the thoughts of Muslims in this part of the world on the question of women’s rights in Islam. To promote this he started arranging lectures on 'Women in Islam' and other related issues for talented female students. He eventually developed a set of Islamic scholars from highly educated young women. Despite limited financial and media support, this initiative brought astronomical success. Within a decade, this initiative not only produced dozens of women activists who are renowned in their own fields and Islamic scholars at the same time. It also helped change the mindset of the religious community due to his wide acceptability among them. He also does so to talented male students. Students of Shah Abdul Hannan have now formed an Internet-based organization named Witness-Pioneer (website: www.witness-pioneer.org). This organization now works for Dawa'h and Islamic research. He is attached with this organization as its Adviser.

[edit] Current Life

At present he is serving with many organizations as member, director, Chairman and Adviser. He is also a regular contributor to national and international newspapers, periodicals, journals and websites. Shah Abdul Hannan works tirelessly in various fields of research on Islam.