Ex-finance minister AMA Muhith passes away

Former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith has passed away. He was 88.

He breathed his last at 12:56am Saturday at United Hospital in the capital.

His first namaz-e-janaza was held at 10:30am at Gulshan Azad Mosque.

From here, his body will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar at 12pm for the people to pay their last tribute to the veteran politician. He will be laid to eternal rest in his family graveyard in Sylhet after a second namaz-e-janaza.

Muhith tested positive for coronavirus in July last year. He was taken to hospitals several times as his physical condition deteriorated.

Muhith was born on  January 25 in 1934, to a Bengali Muslim political family in Sylhet. His father, Abu Ahmad Abdul Hafiz, was a judge.

His mother, Syeda Shahar Banu was one of the leading women in the Bengali language movement. He was the third child in a family of fourteen children, and his younger brother is Abul Kalam Abdul Momen, the incumbent Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.

Muhith is the husband of designer Syeda Sabia, and the father of two sons and a daughter. Their daughter, Samina Muhith, is a banker and an expert in the field of monetary policy. Their eldest son, Shahed Muhith, is an architect, and youngest son, Samir Muhith, is a teacher.

Muhith joined civil service in 1956 after a bright academic life.

He held important positions in the public service and was the first diplomat of the Pakistan embassy in Washington who defected to Bangladesh during the War of Liberation in 1971.

He also played a vital role in drawing up global support for Bangladesh. In 2016, he was conferred with Swadhinata Puroskar (Independence Award), the highest civilian award, for his contribution to the Liberation War.

Muhith joined Awami League in 2001.

On January 6, 2009, Muhith took oath as the finance minister of Bangladesh.

He served in the finance ministry for 10 years in a row during the ruling of the Awami League. 

As a finance minister, he announced 12 budgets, 10 of which were presented under the Awami League government. 

During his tenure as the finance minister, Bangladesh witnessed a sound macroeconomic management with a significant increase in budget size, steady growth, and inflation in control.

He was one of the driving forces behind taking up of mega projects in the country.

Muhith was appointed as the secretary of planning in January 1972 and secretary of the External Resources Division of the Finance and Planning Ministry in May 1977.

He was finance and planning minister from March 1982 to December 1983.

Also, Muhith was a pioneer of the Bangladesh Environment Movement and was also the founder and president of BAPA established in 2000.

He was equally gifted as a writer and published 35 books on different subjects including Liberation War, economic development, history, public administration and political problems.

Muhith passed the matriculation exam from Sylhet Government Pilot High School in 1949. He secured first place in his Intermediate examination in 1951 from Sylhet MC College. He stood first class first in BA (Hons) in English Literature in 1953 from the University of Dhaka and passed his Masters with credit from the same university in 1955. While in service to the government, he studied at the University of Oxford from 1957 to 1958. He completed a Master of Public Administration at Harvard University in 1964.

He went for self-retirement in 1981 from his service and then he started the second innings of his career as a specialist in economics and development at Ford Foundation and in the (IFAD). He became Finance and Planning Minister in 1982-83. Next, he worked as a specialist in different institutions of the World Bank and the United Nations.

Muhith has been a recognised figure in the World Bank, IMF, IDB and in different organisations of United Nations. He was the Visiting Fellow of Princeton University in 1984 and 1985.

Muhith was awarded the highest civil award Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) in 2016 for his contribution to the Liberation War and devoted record of public service.

He was equally gifted as a writer and published 35 books on different subjects, including the Liberation War, economic development, history, public administration and political problems.

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Condolences pour in

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed profound shock and sorrow at the demise of former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith.

In a message of condolence, she prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

President M Abdul Hamid also expressed deep sorrow at the death of former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

In a condolence message, the president said Muhith played an important role in laying a strong foundation of the country's economy during his tenure as finance minister.

He said the nation will remember Muhith's contribution with respect to the progress of building a developed and prosperous Bangladesh.

The head of the state conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has expressed deep shock at the death of his brother Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, former finance minister and freedom fighter.

In a condolence message, Momen prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.

He fondly remembered Muhith's extraordinary personality, human qualities, patriotism and contribution to the welfare of the country and the people.

In a separate message, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam also expressed his grief at the death of Muhith.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, FCA, MP. has also expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of the veteran economist and politician.

In a message of condolence, Kamal said, "Mr Muhith, who was conferred with the highest state accolade the Independence Award, was our guardian. He was also a renowned economist, politician, writer and language veteran. He also worked as an expert at the World Bank and in various agencies of the United Nations."

The finance minister also said that with the death of Muhith, the nation has lost a true patriot.

The nation would ever remember his contributions with gratitude towards the economic development of Bangladesh, Kamal said.

The minister prayed for the peace of his departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Besides, Planning Minister MA Mannan, State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul, Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin also expressed deep condolences over the demise of the veteran economist.