Full Name: Rezaul Mustafa Mohammad Asafuddowlah

Affiliation: Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Current Position: Retired

Date of Birth: 1936

Place of Birth: Bangladesh

Home District: Gopalganj

Nationality: Bangladeshi

Profile:

Mohammad Asafuddowlah (born 1936) is a Bangladeshi lyricist, composer, orator and former secretary of the Water Development Board of the Government of Bangladesh. He was the founding editor of the English daily The Bangladesh Today. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 1993 for his contribution to music.

Asafuddowlah was born in a noble Muslim Zamindar family of village Ratil Ghonapara of Gopalganj district. His father's name is Khan Bahadur Mohammad Ismail and mother's name is Begum Kawkabunnesa. He was born in a family where music is part of the family tradition. His passion for music was born at an early age. He studied at Faridpur Zilla School. He is a younger brother of famous Nazrul singer Feroza Begum.

Asafuddowlah, a student of English Literature, he was actively involved in student politics, an elected Vice President of FHM Hall of Dhaka University and awarded the University Blue in 1957. He is also a famous music exponent with vast knowledge in classical, Nazrul and Rabindra sangeet.

Asafuddowlah is a poet, a writer, a former professor of English Literature, former editor of a National English Daily who had a long stint in civil bureaucracy. He served in the Civil Service for 34 years, including 14 years as permanent Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh, and elected as President of the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association. He was a Fellow of the World Bank Economic Development Institute (EDI), and a member of the Planning Commission of Bangladesh. He served as the Chairman of the National Radio and TV Commission, and as the Chairman of Sonali Bank-the largest commercial bank in Bangladesh. He was the Chairman of the Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR).

Asafuddowlah was Editor of The Bangladesh Today, a national English daily. He is a musician, and an East Pakistan Olympic Gold Medalist in Swimming. He was the founding President of the Asian Swimming Federation. He takes particular interest in human rights, public policy, comparative philosophy and religion, and has translated selected Suras of the Holy Qur'an. He also authored many books of poems, both English and Bengali. He is also known for his outspoken political analysis on television talk shows.

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