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17thDeath
Anniversary of World Famous
Humanitarian:
Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan
A
Tribute by Nasim Yousaf
To rise
in the world, the Muslims need men like Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan,
who innovateandcontribute
to humanity.
October 9th marked the 17thdeath
anniversary of Nobel Prize Nominee Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan, one of the great social
scientistsof the 20th century. Dr. Khan was a selfless statesman who
dedicated his life to serving humanity and changing the lives of the poor. In
pursuit of this endeavor, Dr. Khan founded two monumental projects:the Pakistan
(later Bangladesh) Academy for Rural Development (BARD, Comilla) in 1959 and
the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP, Karachi)in 1980.Through these projects, Dr. Khan
pioneered many innovative methods for poverty alleviation. Bangladesh Finance
Minister, AMA Muhith, stated at a Microcredit and Development Conference, “…Dr. Akhtar Hamid [Hameed] Khan officially
initiated the saving and microcredit system [at Pakistan Academy for Rural
Development]”(The Daily Ittefaq, August
26, 2013). The World Bank’s publication entitled Ending Poverty in South Asiaalso describes Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan
as the “Originator of the RSP[Rural Support Program] Approach in South Asia.”
According to the publication, Dr. Khan “inspired and motivated thousands of
development professionals in South Asia...[and other parts of the world]”Dr.
Khan’s methods around rural development, microfinance, female empowerment, and
participatory development led to a worldwide movement.
Along with Dr. Khan’s revolutionary projects,
people were inspired by his upstanding character and life of simplicity. With
his upbringing, Dr. Khan could have easily led a wealthy and luxurious
lifestyle, yet he chose to live plainly and work on behalf of the common man.
Dr. Khan frequently interacted with powerful or well-known individuals around
the world, but did not ask for any favors. For instance, he did not misuse his
close relationships with the President of Pakistan (Mohammad Ayub Khan), Prime
Minister Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, Prime Minister Hussain Shaheed Suharawardy, or
his powerful and well-respected politician father-in-law (Allama Mashriqi). In
fact, President Ayub Khan offered Dr. Khan several highly desired positions (Governor
of East Pakistan, Advisor to the President, and Vice Chancellor of Dhaka
University),but Dr. Khan declined all these offers. Dr. Khan’s upstanding
character was evident, even in the small occurrences of everyday life. For
instance, in 1969, Dr. Khan and I were in Dhaka. Dr. Khan was to take a Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA) flight from the Dhaka Airport, but his flight was
canceled. When PIA offered Dr. Khan a free room at the Intercontinental Hotel
(Dhaka), he politely declined and instead came back to
where we were staying in Dhaka.When asked why he didn’t take the room, Dr. Khan
explained, “The flight was canceled and the airline offered me a complimentary
stay, but I did not take it as it would cause unnecessary expense to PIA when I
can stay here.” Based on Dr. Khan’s upstanding actions, it is not surprising
that President Ayub once said, “Akhter Hameed Khan is the only man in Pakistan
who has never come to me for anything.”
Dr. Khan was an inspirational figure who,
through his works, brought Pakistan and Bangladesh world recognition.Among the
famous figures who have learned from Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan and applied his
methods of poverty alleviation are Shoaib Sultan Khan, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed,
and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. Their success is
indeed a magnificent tribute to Khan sahib. In Pakistan, his methods are widely
applied through the National Rural Support Programme, Agha Khan Rural Support
Programme, and other initiatives. Dr. Khan is revered as a national hero in
South Asia.
Dr. Khan’s life and workprovide a valuable lesson
for others:those who seek worldly possessions may be recognized in the
short-term, but those who serve humanity are remembered forever.
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