BAFF has taken the initiative to capture the historical root of Islamic banking in Bangladesh.
The first episode of the series will be on the work of late Mr. M. Azizul Huq (1935-2020) who is one of the pioneers in the foundation and development of the Islamic banking sector in Bangladesh. He was the first acting executive president of the Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC. He was also the first managing director of Social Islami Bank Limited and Islamic Finance and Investment Limited. He was the Chairman (acting) of the Central Shariah Board for Islamic Banks of Bangladesh and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pubali Bank Limited. Besides, he was the Chairman of Shariah Supervisory Committees of The City Bank, Dhaka Bank, AB Bank, Pubali Bank Limited, Bank Asia Limited and Islamic Finance and Investment Limited. He was selected for the Central Shariah Board Islamic Banking Award 2005 as recognition of his important contribution to the field of Islamic banking and economics.
Mr. M. Azizul Huq was not only involved in developing Islamic financial intuitions, but also an outstanding thinker and an erudite intellectual. He trained a generation of Islamic bankers through his involvement in numerous public and private sector training programs locally and internationally. M. Azizul Huq invested almost his entire professional life in the development of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. It is difficult to think of the Islamic banking movement in Bangladesh without him. The remarkable growth and reach of Islamic banks in the country owe in large measure to his massive endeavors. The existing and upcoming generations of Islamic bankers will carry on the legacy he left behind.
In 2023, BAFF introduced the BAFF M. Azizul Huq Award to recognise individuals who have dedicated a substantial portion of their lives to developing the Islamic banking and finance sector that in effect contributes towards the establishment of an Islamic economic system in Bangladesh. Mr. Md. Fariduddin Ahmed – Chairman of the Executive Committee of CSBIB – was the recipient of the BAFF M. Azizul Huq Award 2023.
Mr. Muhammad Rezaul Haque has done excellent work capturing the early work of Mr. M. Azizul Huq. The discussants are Mr. Abdul Awwal Sarker – another pioneer of Islamic banking in Bangladesh, Mr. Nurul Islam Khalifa – a close colleague of Mr. Huq, and Mr. AKM Mizanur Rahman – another close colleague of Mr. Huq. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Md. Mahabbat Hossain. The discussion will start with the recitation from the Noble Quran by Maruf Zamil.
The event login details will be shared with BAFF members and other Islamic banking professionals in Bangladesh through respective WhatsApp groups.
