MRA-and-IFC-Sign-Agreement-for-Digital-Transformation-in-the-Microcredit-Sector-and-Expansion-of-Housing-Loan-Facilities

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সর্ব-শেষ হাল-নাগাদ: ২১st এপ্রিল ২০২৫

MRA and IFC Sign Agreement for Digital Transformation in the Microcredit Sector and Expansion of Housing Loan Facilities

প্রকাশন তারিখ : 2025-04-20

MRA and IFC Sign Agreement for Digital Transformation in the Microcredit Sector and Expansion of Housing Loan Facilities

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ড. আহসান এইচ মনসুর

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Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur

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চেয়ারম্যান

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Chairman

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অধ্যাপক ড. মোহাম্মদ হেলাল উদ্দিন

Education

Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, USA, 2008, Agricultural and Resource Economics

M.S., University of Maryland, College Park, USA, 2004, Agricultural and Resource Economics

M.A., University of Florida, Gainesville, USA, 1999, Economics

MSS (Master of Social Science), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1992, Economics

BSS (Bachelor of Social Science), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1991, Economics

Research Interest

Agricultural and Resource Economics, Impact Evaluation, Microcredit & Development Economics, Macroeconomics and Labor Economics

Prior Position

Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)

Director Research: January 2020- October 2024.

Academic Positions

Department of Economics, the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Professor: 2018 - present (on leave)

Associate Professor: 2014 - 2018

Assistant Professor, 2008 - 2014

Department of Economics, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet

. Assistant Professor: 1998 – 1999

Lecturer: 1996 – 1998

Courses Teach

Advanced Microeconomics and Macroeconomics at master’s level, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Econometrics, Public Finance, International Trade, International Business, and Development Economics at bachelor level

Synergistic activity

Microcredit Regulatory Authority

Research Studies Adviser – September 2023 – Adviser, Reviewer, and Panel Discussant of the following studies:

Implication of Regulation on the Microfinance Institutions in Bangladesh
The Role of MFIs in Borrower Graduation: Bangladesh Perspective
Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Microfinance Ecosystems in Bangladesh
Microfinance in Bangladesh (Annual Statistics), June 2023
Climate Change and Microfinance: Impact Assessment and Adaptation Strategy for the Agriculture Sector

University College of Technology, Narayanganj, Bangladesh

Chairman, Governing Body (GB), 2022-2024

ICB Securities Trading Company Limited

Investment Corporation of Bangladesh

Independent Director, May 2013 – May 2022

Website: www.istcl.com.bd

Economic Research Group (ERG), Dhaka

Treasurer, 2017 - present

Research Director, 2014 –2016

Executive Director, 2012-2014

Website: http://www.ergonline.org

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC)

Member, Committee on Preparing 2G & 3G Spectrum Auction Guideline

Member, Committee on fixing Wave Acquisition fee and Annual Spectrum fee for ISP operators

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Ministry of Planning

Member, Technical Committee, 2013- present

Member, Sub-Technical Committee, 2013- present

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh

Member, Expert Group on BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar) Economic Corridor, 2014 –visit to China as part of the Government delegation

BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Department of Economics and Social Science

Member, Faculty Recruitment Committee

Member, Curriculum Revise Committee

South East University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Department of Economics

Member, Faculty Recruitment Committee

National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), Bangladesh

Member, Curriculum on Economics

National University, Bangladesh

Adviser (Economics), College Education Development Project (CEDP)

Member, PhD, and MPhil Curriculum Committee

Research Activities

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations/Rome, Itali

Senior Technical Expert: January-July, 2024

Revisions to the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Aquaculture Questionnaire towards GSA monitoring - The FAO Subcommittee on Aquaculture recognized that the global Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) complement and support FAO's efforts to back the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and constitutes a valuable guide for achieving the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. The Sub-Committee recognized the imperative of updating the CCRF Questionnaire by incorporating emerging and strategic issues. In response to the Subcommittee's recommendation, the assignment contributed to revising the CCRF Aquaculture Questionnaire, including emerging and strategic issues, aligning with GSA monitoring, and organizing a consultative meeting for questionnaire discussion.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

Team Leader: March-July, 2021

A Review of Agricultural and Non-agricultural Real Income for Investigating Food and Nutrition Security Policy in Bangladesh - The general objectives of the study are to better understand the relative weights of agriculture and non-agriculture sectors of the rural economy in designing food security and nutrition policy for the rural population. Also, it will assess the nutrition outcomes of households belonging to agriculture and non-agriculture to generate policy suggestions to improve the plan of action in this regard, understand why farmers are switching out of agriculture, and suggest policies to slow them down.

USAID/Accelerating Capacity for Monitoring and Evaluation (ACME)

Socio-Economic Specialist - Agricultural Infrastructure Case Study: December 2018

The study team interviewed farmers, traders, community leaders, and others to determine whether agricultural infrastructure investment increased farm productivity, decreased crop damage, improved food security, increased employment, and increased opportunities for women to realize their potential and become more empowered. The study also considers the socio-economic benefits to disabled people, children, and the local minority community.

USAID/International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Consultant - Decomposition of Rural Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh: The Recent Trend: March – December 2014

The study decomposes rural poverty across occupations, gender, livelihood environment, regions- coastal versus hill tracts, monga-prone areas, and so on. The study discovers ways to eradicate extreme poverty from marginalized people in Bangladesh. It allows us to see if the poor, concentrated in the lower income quintiles, gain most from farms or non-farm income growth sources. In addition, the study attempts to test if increases in the demand for unskilled workers and rural real wages have not mainly driven rural poverty reduction. The study investigates the sources of rural poverty reduction between 1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010.

World Food Programme (WFP)/ Data Management Aid (DMA)

Consultant - Impacts of McGovern-Dole-supported School Feeding Program in Bangladesh: November 2017- January 2018

The study assesses the impacts of intervention (providing biscuits to some school kids of poor households in Bangladesh) on the participants concerning attendance, retention, completion, dropouts, etc.

World Food Programme (WFP)

Team Leader-The Impact of School Feeding Program in Bangladesh: January - September 2017.

Designed survey for project end impact evaluation, analyzed data, and wrote the final report for WFP and the Government of Bangladesh. One of the school-feeding modalities, meals, involves the community in its preparation and distribution among the school children. This modality engaged women in vegetable growing for the school kitchen. The impact of vegetable growing on women's livelihood, empowerment, consumption, savings, and nutrition status are analyzed in the study.

Reviewer - Sustainability Assessment of the Impacts of the Food Security for the Ultra Poor (FSUP) Project: May-June, 2016.

The study assesses the impact of a one-time startup grant for the ultra-poor - mainly women - on their income, assets, consumption, employment, IGA, nutrition status, and morbidity.

International Labor Organization (ILO)

Team Leader - Industry Mapping and Labour Practices Analysis for the Project Improving Labour Law Compliance and Building Sound Labour Practices in the Export-Oriented Shrimp Sector in Bangladesh: January – November 2015.

The study assesses labor compliance, women's empowerment, occupational safety, and health for marginalized workers, especially women employed in Bangladesh's shrimp processing factories. It also examines Bangladesh's entire shrimp supply chain and explores the constraints and bottlenecks shrimp farmers face across different supply chain layers.

The World Bank Headquarters at Washington, DC

Consultant - Bridge to Prosperity – Bangladesh: April, 2015 – March, 2016.

Impact of Jamuna Bridge on the lives of the people in the connected areas

Consultant - The Agricultural Value Chain Survey in Bangladesh: February – November 2014

The study assesses the connectivity of farmers producing agricultural commodities such as milk, poultry, vegetables, and pangas fish with their respective markets and the bottlenecks they face when selling their produce. It explores market development potential, marketing and production contracts, and farmers' access to finance and agricultural extension.

Consultant—Food Prices, Middlemen, and Marketing Institution: Evidence from Bangladesh Survey of Value Chain of Edible Oil Markets in Bangladesh: April 2012—December 2013. The study assesses competition in the Value Chain of Edible Oil markets in Bangladesh and the factors behind bottlenecks created in the market.

Consultant - Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic Study (AICD): May 1, 2006 –

June 30, 2008

This study has produced a series of reports on public expenditures, spending needs, and sector performance in each of the main infrastructure sectors: energy, information and communication technologies, irrigation, transport, and water and sanitation.

Consultant, AFT, Africa Region: May-June, 2004

Consultant, South Asia Sector: August-September, 2000

International Growth Centre (IGC) of LSE, UK

Consultant - Food Prices and Marketing Intermediaries: Evidence from a Policy Experiment in Edible Oils Market in Bangladesh: June 2012 – March 2013

Consultant - Assessment of Competition in the Sugar Market of Bangladesh: July 2012 – March 2013

Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)

Survey Implementation for “Improving educational outcomes for female and disadvantage primary school students (Bangladesh)” supported by AusAID: July 2013 - December 2014

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Survey Implementation for Value of Statistical Lives (VSL) Survey and Chicken Game Experiment “Empirical study on Risk and Poverty in Bangladesh”: March – July 2013

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Team Leader –An Assessment of Competition in the Edible Oil Market of Bangladesh: August 2008 – December 2009

Save the Children, UK (SCUK)

Team Leader - Impact of Price Increase on Poor Household and Children's Wellbeing: June 2008 – May 2009

Assessing the Impact of Price Hikes on Poor Households and Children's Well-being in Bangladesh. A primary survey was conducted on the poor households living in the extreme poverty pockets in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. A research report was prepared and provided to SCUK.

International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada

Survey Manager – An Evaluation of Tobacco Control Policies in Bangladesh funded by International Development Research Centre: August 1, 2008 - June 30, 2012

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

Consultant: September-October, 2005

Journal Articles/Working Papers:

Credit Rationing and Pass-Through in Supply Chains: Theory and Evidence from Bangladesh (with Shahe Emran, Forhad Shilpi, and Dilip Mookherjee), American Economic Journal:

Applied Economics, 2021, 13(3): 202–236.

Decomposing rural income into sectors to identify their likely contributions to rural poverty reduction in Bangladesh (with Nurul Islam), Asia-Pacific Journal of Rural Development, Volume 29, Issue 2, December 2019.

Competition Assessment using Pass through of Raw Sugar Prices from the Global Market, Asia Pacific Journal on Environment and Development, Volume 28-31, Special Issue, 2019.

Biscuits or Khichuri: What Performs Better among the School Children of Poor Households in Bangladesh? Social Science Review, Vol. 36, No.2, December 2019.

School Record or Head-count: What to Believe in Counting Attendance for Primary School Children in Bangladesh, Perspectives in Social Science, Vol.13, September, 2018.

Sugar Refiners in Bangladesh: Do They Compete or Collude? Stamford Journal of Economics, Volume 5, Issue 1 (2018).

Assessment of Labor Compliance in Shrimp Processing Industry in Bangladesh (with M. Nuruzzaman and Jafar Emran), Journal of SUB (Issue July 2018)

Are Margins Excessive in Retail and Wholesale Sugar Markets in Bangladesh? The Bangladesh journal of political economy, Vol. 33, Numbers 1, December 2018.

Why are there only a few Refiners in the Bangladesh Sugar Industry? The Bangladesh journal of political economy, Vol. 32, Numbers 1, June 2018.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Risks for the Female Workers Engaged in Shrimp Processing Industry in Bangladesh (with M. Nuruzzaman) Asian Fisheries Science Special Issue, 30S (2017): 181-198.

Do Consumers Benefit from Supply Chain Intermediaries: Evidence from a Policy Experiment in Edible Oils Market in Bangladesh (with Shahe Emran, Forhad Shilpi and Dilip Mookherjee), Policy Research Working Paper - WPS 7745, 2016, World Bank, Washington DC.

Dynamics of Rural Growth in Bangladesh: Sustaining Poverty Reduction / by Madhur Gautam and Rashid Faruqee (2016). GFADR, World Bank, Washington DC

Connecting Farmers to Consumers: Trading in High-Value Products in Bangladesh (with Forhad Shilpi, M.N. Hoque and J. Yao), 2015. Background paper for “Dynamics of Rural Growth in Bangladesh” GFADR, World Bank, Washington DC

Four Decades of Economic Development of Bangladesh: An Assessment (with Amzad Hossain). Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Hum.), Vol. 58(2), 2013, pp. 335-362

The Impact of Price Hike on the Consumption of Poor Households in Bangladesh (with Ummul Hasanath Ruthbah), Journal of Social Studies, Vol. 139, 2013: p.61-74.

Coping Strategies Adopted by the Poor Households to Contain the Price Hike of Essentials in Bangladesh (with Ummul Hasanath Ruthbah), Journal of Social Studies, Vol. 136, 2012: p.1-16.

The Impact of Price Hike on the Children of Poor Households in Bangladesh (with Masuda Yasmin), The Bangladesh Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 27, Numbers 1& 2: pp. 575-92.

The Impact of Price Hike on the Income of Poor Households in Bangladesh (Masuda Yasmin), The Bangladesh Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 27, Numbers 1& 2: pp. 559-73.

The Impact of Price Hike on Child Labour Participation in Bangladesh (with Sk. Jafar Emran.), Journal of Social Studies, Vol. 129, 2011: p.73-90.

Privatization and Restructuring of Bangladesh Power Sector, Pacific and Asian Journal of Energy,” vol. 9(1), 1999.

Book Chapters

The Elusiveness of the Millennium Development Goals for Water and Sanitation (with Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee [et al.] in Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure: access, affordability, and alternatives/editors Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee and Elvira Morella. 2011, the World Bank, Washington DC

Access to Safe Water: The Millennium Challenge (with Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee [et al.] in Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure: access, affordability, and alternatives/editors Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee and Elvira Morella. 2011, the World Bank, Washington DC

Widening Connectivity and Reducing Inequality (with Anton Eberhard et al.) in Africa’s power infrastructure: investment, integration, efficiency / Anton Eberhard. [et al.], 2011, the World Bank, Washington DC

Access to Safe Sanitation: The Millennium Challenge (with Elvira Morella et al.) in Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure: access, affordability, and alternatives/editors Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee and Elvira Morella. 2011, the World Bank, Washington DC

Cost Recovery, Affordability, and Subsidies (with Vivien Foster [et al.] in Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure: access, affordability, and alternatives/ editors Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee and Elvira Morella. 2011, the World Bank, Washington DC.

Reports

Impact Assessment of School Feeding Program by McGovern prepared for the World Food Programme of United Nations, 2018

The Impact of School Feeding Program on the Children of poor households in Bangladesh prepared for the World Food Programme of the United Nations, funded by the Government of Bangladesh, 2017

Decomposition of Rural Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh: The Recent Trend (with Professor Nurul Islam of IFPRI) – funded by USAID, 2016

Sustainability Assessment of the Impacts of the Food Security for the Ultra Poor (FSUP) Project implemented by WFP in North-West Bangladesh, review report prepared for the World Food Programme of United Nations, 2016

Industry Mapping and Labour Practices Analysis” for the Project “Improving Labour Law Compliance and Building Sound Labour Practices in the Export Oriented Shrimp Sector in Bangladesh” (with M. Nuruzzaman and Sk. Jafar Emran) submitted to ILO, UN, 2016.

Food Prices and Marketing Intermediaries: Evidence from a Policy Experiment in Edible Oils Market in Bangladesh (with Shahe Emran, Forhad Shilpi, and Dilip Mookherjee) submitted to LSE-IGC, 2013.

Assessment of Competition in Sugar Market of Bangladesh – funded by International Growth Centre (IGC), LSE, UK, 2012

An Assessment of Competition in the Edible Oil Market of Bangladesh (with M. A. Taslim), 2010 (IFC-funded)

Impact of Price Hike on Poor Household and Children's Wellbeing (with Deen Islam, and S. Badruddoza) 2009 (Save the Children, UK- funded)

Access and Affordability of Modern Infrastructure Services: Evidence from Africa (with Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee et al.), Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) Report, the World Bank, June’2007.

Professional Papers Presented

“Feminization of the Shrimp Processing Industry in Bangladesh: Pace of Women Empowerment and Poverty Reduction” was presented at the ASEAN Fisheries and Aquaculture Conference and Exposition in Bangkok in the Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries (GAF6) session 2016.

“Do Consumers Benefit from Supply Chain Intermediaries? Evidence from a Policy Experiment in the Edible Oils Market in Bangladesh” was presented at the American Economic Association conference in 2016 and the Northeast Universities Development Consortium (NEUDC) Conference in 2014 (along with three other associates—one from Columbia University, one from Boston University, and the other from the World Bank).

The Policymakers or the Manipulators: Who Are to Blame for the Recent Share Market Bubble and the Crash? Presented to World Bank (2011), Economic Research Group (2011) & Department of Accounting, Dhaka University (2013).

Rahman, Shaikh and Helal, Uddin. “Optimal Contracts for Exploration of an Exhaustible Natural Resource with Cost Recovery: The Case of Asymmetric Information.” presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA) annual meeting in Denver, August 1-4, 2004.

Helal, Uddin. “Gains from Contracting: US Hog Grower’s Perspective.” presentation at the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA) annual meeting in Denver, August 1-4, 2004.

Helal, Uddin. “Protecting Contract Growers of US Broiler Chicken Industry.” Presented at the Annual Meeting of American Agricultural Economic Association (AAEA), Long Beach, California, 2002.

Parker, Douglas, and Uddin Helal. “Environmental Risk Management in the Horticulture Industry.” Presented at the Annual Meeting of American Agricultural Economic Association (AAEA), Tampa Bay, Florida, 2000

Current Research in Progress:

Food Prices, Middlemen, and Marketing Institutions: Evidence from Bangladesh with

Forhad Shilpi (World Bank), Dilip Mookherjee (Boston University), Shahe Emran (George Washington University and IPD, Columbia University), and Migiwa Tanaka (U of Toronto).

Food Prices and Market Intermediaries: An Empirical Analysis of the Edible Oil Market in

Bangladesh with

Dilip Mookherjee (Boston University), Shahe Emran (Goerge Washington University and IPD, Columbia University), and Migiwa Tanaka (U of Toronto) – funded by International Growth Centre (IGC), LSE, UK.

Journal Affiliation/Professional

Editor

Asia-Pacific Journal of Rural Development/ SAGE Journals

June 1, 2020 –

Reviewer

Social Science Review

Perspectives in Social Science

Bangladesh Development Studies

Bank Parikrama

Research Grant

US$ 485,150.00 in collaboration with ICDDR, B, University of Maryland and others (USAID)

GB £10,000.00 from International Growth Centre, IGC, LSE - 2012

GB £25,000.00 from International Growth Centre, IGC, LSE - (with Shahe Emran and Dilip Mookherjee) - 2012

US$ 130,000.00 from World Bank Head Office, Washington DC - (with Shahe Emran, Forhad

Shilpi and Dilip Mookherjee) - 2011

CAD $438,000.00 from IDRC, Canada (with Nigar Nargis, S.M. Ashiquazzaman and Ummul

Ruthbah) - 2008.

Training

Three Weeks Training on Public Utility Regulation jointly organized by World Bank and Public Utility Research Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, June 1998.

Trainer

Bangladesh Competition Commission on Anti-competition Practices and Market

Strategies

Contribution to Popular Media

A regular contributor to the mainstream daily newspapers in Bangladesh, such as Prothom Alo, Ittefaq, and Banik Barta, on contemporary economic issues