Dr. Atiur Rahman took the helm of the Central Bank of Bangladesh for four year tenure on May 1, 2009 as the 10th Governor of Bangladesh Bank, the country's monetary policy authority, financial sector regulator and supervisor. His tenure has been extended for another term for three years and three months upto 2nd August, 2016 by which time he will be 65.
Dr. Rahman has been a renowned economist in his varied roles as a University Professor, researcher, banker and a leader in pro-poor, environment-friendly and gender-sensitive development paradigm. Prior to his assumption of the office of the Governor, he was a Professor of Economics in the Department of Development Studies (2006-2009), University of Dhaka, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shamunnay, a centre for excellence in development research in Bangladesh. He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Unnayan Shamannay, a non-profit organization for research, development and cultural learning. His previous roles also include Director of Sonali Bank, the largest commercial bank in Bangladesh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Janata Bank, the second largest commercial bank in the country and a long tenure as a Senior Research Fellow at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS). He conducted various research works on economic development and published extensively on the micro-finance revolution in Bangladesh. For many years, Dr. Rahman also steered the Credit Development Forum (CDF) in Bangladesh as Chairman. He has been a known public face advocating for more humane development including pro-poor participatory budgeting. He is considered an authority on matters related to the fiscal budget in Bangladesh.
