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Part-3: 

As an Islamic economist

Shah Abdul Hannan has considerable writings on Islamic economics and banking. For example,  he wrote an article on the goals, objectives and characteristics of Islamic Economy. He authored a book in Bangla named “Islami orthoniti dorshon o kormokoushol” meaning “Islamic Economics, Philosophy and Strategy”. He worked with a group of Islamic scholars to produce an in-depth research work on the economics- and finance-related verses in the Quran producing a book titled "Economics in Al-Quran" in two volumes in Bangla. He wrote another well-researched book in Bangla titled “Islaami Orthonitite Shorkarer Bhumika” meaning ‘The Role of Government in Islamic Economics’.

As an Islamic economist he not only dived deep in the theoretical foundations but he also invested significant time and effort to promote Islamic economics and banking in the practical world. He was one of the pivotal agents in establishing the first Islamic Bank in Bangladesh, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited or IBBL.  While Shah Abdul Hannan was the deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank (the central bank of Bangladesh), he took an active role in the amending of the Banking Act of Bangladesh to facilitate Islamic banking, following which two Islamic banks were allowed to function. IBBL became one of the most successful banks in Bangladesh and a model for many other countries to follow. While he was the chairman of IBBL, he took Islamic Banking as a movement and tried to spread it to the grassroot level of the country. 

Shah Abdul Hannan was the co-founder and the Chairman of Islamic Economics Research Bureau (ERB), a research institute working for the promotion of the cause of Islamic economics, banking and insurance in Bangladesh. He was the founder and advisor of the Central Shariah Board of Islamic Banks. He was the Chairman of the Islamic Banks’ Consultative Forum, the Chief Advisor of the Islamic Insurance Company Bangladesh and a member of the editorial boards of different newspaper,  Bengali and English Journals such as - Daily Arthanitee (Daily Economics), Thoughts on Economics and the Journal of Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance. 

One of Shah Abdul Hannan’s major concerns was poverty alleviation. He held the view that microcredit cannot reduce hardcore poverty while Zakat and Waqf in combination with restructuring of economic priorities can. He promoted these ideas in many policy forums, seminars and writings and thus, contributed to the momentum of the Zakah and Waqf movement in Bangladesh. He was also deeply involved in the activities of the Association for Correction and Social Reclamation Bangladesh (ACSRB) that gives shelter to distressed women and children. He helped many poor people while he was the Chairman of Islami Bank Foundation, a social welfare wing of IBBL.

As a social activist

Shah Abdul Hannan understood that lasting social change can be achieved and the problems of the ummah can be solved through building good institutions with correct orientation and vision.

Shah Abdul Hannan was an avid educationist. He was successful in the establishment of many educational institutions, including some universities. He was a founder and a board member of North South University. He was the chairman of the Manarat Trust, the founding body of Manarat Dhaka International College, a successful English medium school with an Islamic orientation. He played a major role in the conceptualization and establishment of Manarat International University, one of the few universities in the country with Islamic orientation, where he was the chairman of the Board of Trustees. He acted as the adviser to the Dhaka Campus of the International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC). He was also the vice Chancellor of Darul Ihsan University and Asian University for some time. Shah Abdul Hannan taught Islamic ethics in Asian University of Bangladesh. He also taught Islamic political thought in the course on comparative political systems at the same university. 

In an important work, Shah Abdul Hannan worked to make the curriculum of the madrasas of Bangladesh more inclusive of practical information and coursework so that madrasa graduates could find better job opportunities.  

Shah Abdul Hannan was the chairman of Diganta Media Corporation, one of the major media outlets in Bangladesh, that publishes the second most widely circulated daily newspaper, Daily Nayadiganta. He used to give advice on the editorial policy of this newspaper on a daily basis. 

Shah Abdul Hannan worked to build medical care facilities that provided care of good quality at a reasonable cost, regardless of the patient’s income or status. He was a Founder Trustee and the Chairman of the Ibn Sina Trust, which is rendering health care and other humanitarian services throughout Bangladesh. 

He also held the position of chairman in the Center for Strategic and Peace Studies (CSPS), a poliy think tank. 

part-3 of 4, to be continued...

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