A seasoned economist with more than three decades of experience, Dr. Md. Sakhawat Hossain, has been elevated to the position of Executive Director (Research) at Bangladesh Bank, reflecting the institution’s renewed focus on strengthening its research and policy analysis capabilities.
He formally assumed his new responsibilities on Wednesday, following his service as Director of the central bank’s Research Department. According to informed sources, the promotion recognises his long-standing contributions to applied economic research, monetary policy analysis, and macroeconomic forecasting, all of which have played a significant role in supporting the bank’s decision-making framework.
Dr. Sakhawat began his professional career in 1994 when he joined Bangladesh Bank as an Assistant Director. Over his extensive 32-year career, he has served in multiple strategic divisions, including the Research Department, Policy Analysis Unit, and the Office of the Chief Economist. His analytical work has been particularly influential in areas such as macroeconomic stability, monetary policy formulation, and external trade assessment.
Between June 2019 and February 2024, he also served as a faculty member at the Bangladesh Bank Training Academy. In this role, he trained newly recruited officers in economic research methodologies, data interpretation, and policy formulation techniques, thereby contributing to the development of future central banking professionals.
Academically, Dr. Sakhawat holds both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Economics from Jahangirnagar University. He later completed his PhD in Economics, focusing on Bangladesh’s import and export demand structure and the stability of the balance of payments. His research has been published in several national and international academic journals, adding scholarly depth to policy discussions within the central bank.
He has also participated in numerous professional training programmes and workshops in countries including Singapore, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. These international exposures have broadened his understanding of global financial systems and enhanced his ability to apply comparative economic insights within Bangladesh’s policy environment.
Career Overview
| Period | Position / Responsibility |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Joined Bangladesh Bank as Assistant Director |
| Various periods | Worked in Research Department |
| Various periods | Served in Policy Analysis Unit |
| Various periods | Assigned to Office of the Chief Economist |
| 2019–2024 | Faculty Member, Bangladesh Bank Training Academy |
| 2024 onwards | Director, Research Department |
| Recent | Promoted to Executive Director (Research) |
Born in the village of Silimpur in Kalihati upazila of Tangail district, Dr. Sakhawat is the son of Ahsan Ullah and Shuraya Begum. He is married, and his wife, Hosne Ara Mustafa, formerly served as an Executive Manager at BASIC Bank before taking voluntary retirement in 2022. The couple has two sons and one daughter.
Economists and policy observers believe that his elevation will further enhance the research capacity of Bangladesh Bank, particularly in refining macroeconomic analysis and strengthening evidence-based policy formulation.