bdnews24.com :
Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman has been awarded ‘Central Banker of the Year 2015’ from the Asia-Pacific region for stimulating growth and stabilising economy.
London-based The Financial Times Group-owned magazine The Banker announced the awards on Monday.
It announced the names of governors from America, Europe, Middle East and Africa regions who were also awarded for their contributions.
In his immediate reaction on Monday, the central bank chief dedicated the award to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“This is not my own success. I am dedicating this award to the prime minister who has tasked me with the responsibility of the central bank governor twice and given me the opportunity to bring Bangladesh’s banking sector to the world’s attention,” he said, speaking to bdnews24.com.
The governor said the prime minister congratulated him on Monday night after learning about his latest achievement.
In November last year, Rahman received the ‘GUSI Peace Prize International 2014’ award in recognition of his work in establishing peace by reducing poverty in Bangladesh.
He was appointed the 10th governor of Bangladesh Bank on May 1, 2009, for four years. The government last year extended his appointment by another term.
The 63-year old Rahman received the plaudit for his ‘special contributions’ to Bangladesh’s economy by way of maintaining stability, inclusive banking, green banking and corporate social responsibility.
The Banker, first published in January 1926, is the world’s premier banking and finance resource, read in more than 180 countries.
On its website, it said that Rahman’s ‘work exemplifies how central banks can play essential roles in providing capital for environmentally and socially aware development without compromising on growth or macroeconomic stability’.
“Initially it was not easy. Central bankers are a bit of a conservative, skeptical bunch. They thought it was going to be a disaster,” it quoted Rahman as saying.
He believed that supporting agriculture and SME could avert financial crises. “In many developed countries central banks only create money [and] liquidity in the air. They don’t do much on the ground, which could stop speculative financing and increase liquidity with small deposits. Financial systems would be more stable and have diversified loan portfolios [if this happened],” he said.
Regarding contributions of inclusive banking, he told bdnews24.com: “Bangladesh Bank has made some realistic moves in keeping with the government’s inclusive socio-economic development plan that includes opening bank accounts for Tk 10, loans for small and medium initiatives, green banking, modernising the financial sector, e-commerce, mobile banking, expansion of agriculture loans and much more.”
“These have expanded the base of growth which is a must for sustainable development. The motto of inclusive banking is inclusion of the majority of population in national production and empowerment of the poor.”
Apart from Rahman, Peru’s Julio Velard from Global and Americas, Georgia’s Giorgi Kadagidze from Europe, Oman’s Hamood bin Sangour al-Zadjali from Middle East and Mozambique’s Ernesto Gove from Africa were awarded Central Banker of the Year 2015. Rahman did his PhD in economics at the University of London. He is a former development researcher and a professor of development studies at Dhaka University.
Before becoming Bangladesh’s top banker, he served as the director of Sonali Bank and chairman of Janata Bank.
Rahman has written many research articles on Bangladesh’s economic development and microcredit. Until 2009, he penned 45 books.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman has been awarded ‘Central Banker of the Year 2015’ from the Asia-Pacific region for stimulating growth and stabilising economy.
London-based The Financial Times Group-owned magazine The Banker announced the awards on Monday.
It announced the names of governors from America, Europe, Middle East and Africa regions who were also awarded for their contributions.
In his immediate reaction on Monday, the central bank chief dedicated the award to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“This is not my own success. I am dedicating this award to the prime minister who has tasked me with the responsibility of the central bank governor twice and given me the opportunity to bring Bangladesh’s banking sector to the world’s attention,” he said, speaking to bdnews24.com.
The governor said the prime minister congratulated him on Monday night after learning about his latest achievement.
In November last year, Rahman received the ‘GUSI Peace Prize International 2014’ award in recognition of his work in establishing peace by reducing poverty in Bangladesh.
He was appointed the 10th governor of Bangladesh Bank on May 1, 2009, for four years. The government last year extended his appointment by another term.
The 63-year old Rahman received the plaudit for his ‘special contributions’ to Bangladesh’s economy by way of maintaining stability, inclusive banking, green banking and corporate social responsibility.
The Banker, first published in January 1926, is the world’s premier banking and finance resource, read in more than 180 countries.
On its website, it said that Rahman’s ‘work exemplifies how central banks can play essential roles in providing capital for environmentally and socially aware development without compromising on growth or macroeconomic stability’.
“Initially it was not easy. Central bankers are a bit of a conservative, skeptical bunch. They thought it was going to be a disaster,” it quoted Rahman as saying.
He believed that supporting agriculture and SME could avert financial crises. “In many developed countries central banks only create money [and] liquidity in the air. They don’t do much on the ground, which could stop speculative financing and increase liquidity with small deposits. Financial systems would be more stable and have diversified loan portfolios [if this happened],” he said.
Regarding contributions of inclusive banking, he told bdnews24.com: “Bangladesh Bank has made some realistic moves in keeping with the government’s inclusive socio-economic development plan that includes opening bank accounts for Tk 10, loans for small and medium initiatives, green banking, modernising the financial sector, e-commerce, mobile banking, expansion of agriculture loans and much more.”
“These have expanded the base of growth which is a must for sustainable development. The motto of inclusive banking is inclusion of the majority of population in national production and empowerment of the poor.”
Apart from Rahman, Peru’s Julio Velard from Global and Americas, Georgia’s Giorgi Kadagidze from Europe, Oman’s Hamood bin Sangour al-Zadjali from Middle East and Mozambique’s Ernesto Gove from Africa were awarded Central Banker of the Year 2015. Rahman did his PhD in economics at the University of London. He is a former development researcher and a professor of development studies at Dhaka University.
Before becoming Bangladesh’s top banker, he served as the director of Sonali Bank and chairman of Janata Bank.
Rahman has written many research articles on Bangladesh’s economic development and microcredit. Until 2009, he penned 45 books.
