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Faizul Latif Chowdhury, born on June 3, 1959, is a distinguished civil servant and academic from Bangladesh. Currently, he serves as the director general of the Bangladesh National Museum and holds the position of adjunct professor of business at Independent University, Bangladesh. Chowdhury has an extensive body of work encompassing topics such as corruption in public administration, tax policy, the economics of tax evasion and avoidance, smuggl
Chowdhury's education began with his high school and pre-university studies in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. He attended Mymensingh Zilla School for his SSC and Ananda Mohan College for his HSC. He then pursued higher education in economics, obtaining both a Bachelor of Social Science and a Master of Social Science from the University of Dhaka. Furthering his studies, he attended Deakin University in Australia to study public policy and earned an MBA from Monash University in 1992. He later studied public administration and public policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Chowdhury's professional career started in freelance journalism, contributing to publications such as Kishore Bangla and the Bangladesh Observer. His literary career commenced during his school days in 1973. He later worked in various editorial roles and briefly as a senior officer at Rupali Bank's Planning Division. In 1983, he joined the Bangladesh Civil Service and held numerous positions, including deputy secretary and joint secretary. He also worked as a consultant for the World Bank and Norway and held diplomatic roles. Chowdhury's current positions include serving as director general of the Bangladesh National Museum and adjunct professor at Independent University, Bangladesh.
In the literary field, Chowdhury has made significant contributions, particularly regarding the work of Jibanananda Das. He has translated numerous poems and authored critical essays on Das's literary style. His publications include several anthologies and literary magazines, demonstrating his commitment to Bengali literature. Chowdhury has also translated works of major Bengali poets and fiction writers into English, enhancing the global reach of Bengali literary works.
Chowdhury's economic works are notable for their focus on applied economics. He developed models to understand customs evasion and smuggling, providing insights into the economic behaviors that drive these activities. He has theorized on the concepts of rent-seeking bureaucracy and the market in corruption, suggesting that corruption can be mitigated through reduced human interaction in public offices, facilitated by automation and technology.
Director General of Bangladesh National Museum: Leading one of the most significant cultural institutions in Bangladesh.
Adjunct Professor of Business at Independent University, Bangladesh: Teaching and mentoring students in business studies.
Extensive Academic Contributions: Published works on corruption in public administration, tax policy, the economics of tax evasion and avoidance, smuggling, and international trade policy.
Research on Jibanananda Das: Authored critical essays and translated poems of Bengal's renowned modern poet.
Development of Economic Models: Created models on customs evasion and smuggling, contributing to the field of applied economics.
Published Author: Numerous publications in both literary and social sciences, including books, essays, and translations.
Consultant for International Projects: Worked with the World Bank and Norway on national development projects.
Diplomatic Role: Served as a diplomat for the Government of Bangladesh.
Editorial Roles: Held positions such as Literary Editor at the daily Banglabazaar Patrika and Feature Editor at Saptahik Chitrabangla.
Founder of Publishing Houses: Established Adhuna Prokashony and Desh Prokashan, contributing to the literary landscape of Bangladesh.
Promotion within Civil Service: Progressed to deputy secretary and joint secretary, holding significant responsibilities within the Bangladesh Civil Service.
Literary Magazine Contributions: Played a key role in the publication of literary magazines like Dwitiyo Chinta and Adhuna.
Translation of Major Works: Translated significant works of Bengali poets and fiction writers into English, enhancing their global reach.
Keynote Speaker: Presented papers and keynote addresses on fiscal reforms, customs duty evasion, and corruption.
Advocacy for Automation and Anti-Corruption: Promoted the use of technology to reduce corruption in public offices.