The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) deeply mourns the passing of Professor Nurul Islam, IFPRI Research Fellow Emeritus, a prominent economist, author, and dear friend to many of us. Prof. Islam passed away on Tuesday, May 9, at the age of 94, in Washington, DC.
Often referred to as the greatest economist of Bangladesh, Nurul Islam joined IFPRI in 1987 as Senior Policy Adviser to the Director General. He later became a Research Fellow Emeritus of the Institute and held this title until his death.
Nurul Islam played a major role at IFPRI for several decades, shaping research on the development of agriculture and food policy in Bangladesh and beyond. He was also a great mentor to many younger colleagues, leaving a significant personal imprint on the organization.
Before joining IFPRI, Nurul Islam played a vital role in the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, acting as one of the closest advisors to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and first prime minister of Bangladesh. From 1972 to 1975, immediately following Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, Nurul Islam served as the Deputy Chairman of the first Planning Commission of Bangladesh.
During his long career, Nurul Islam served as Assistant Director General of the Economic and Social Policy Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as the Chairman of the Department of Economics at Dhaka University, and was the founding Chairman of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).
Nurul Islam received both a BA and MA in economics from Dhaka University and an MA and Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. He was a visiting professor at several prominent universities, including Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics. He was also a member of the executive committee of the International Economics Association (IEA).
Nurul Islam authored multiple research papers and more than 25 books, including Corruption, Its Control and Drivers of Change, and India, Pakistan, Bangladesh: A Primer on Political History. He shared his remarkable personal story in An Odyssey: The Journey of My Life.
IFPRI colleagues who had the privilege of working with Nurul Islam remember him fondly as an inspiring, passionate mentor whose guidance and support shaped their own and others’ careers in global research for development. His contributions to the field of food policy research will continue to inspire and guide future generations.
IFPRI joins the wide international community mourning Prof. Nurul Islam and expresses deep condolences to his family and friends.
Left to right: Md. Shafiqul Karim, Media & PR Consultant, IFPRI; M. Mehrab Bakhtiar, Research Fellow, IFPRI; Akhter U. Ahmed, Country Representative for Bangladesh & Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI; Shoumi Mustafa, Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI; Nurul Islam, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI; Wahid Quabili, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI