Anwarul Hoque, Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Lecturing/Research: International Trade and Finance; Links Between Trade Liberalization and Rural Development in Bangladesh
Host: Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
September 2002-March 2003

Bangladesh is a country in transition. It is entering the global marketplace and working to develop its rural areas. To be successful, it needs young professionals who understand market dynamics and the effects of trade and liberalization policies.

Anwarul Hoque is helping to meet that need. "As a Bangladeshi expatriate, who once sat in the same classrooms as these students, I felt I could play a strong role in career, dissertation and theses guidance, as well as policy dialogue," he says.

A naturalized American citizen, Hoque is an agricultural economist in the USDA Economic Research Service, specializing in a variety of areas, including international trade and finance and trade liberalization policies in agriculture. He is on the faculty of the USDA Graduate School in Washington, DC. He spent nine months as a Fulbrighter at the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he taught undergraduate courses in international economics-international trade and international finance. "The material was timely," he says, "since the upcoming World Trade Organization conference in Cancun has created a lot of interest in Bangladesh."

Along with teaching, Hoque organized a weeklong workshop on research methodology for 30 junior faculty. With Hoque's help, many began developing research proposals and conducting investigations. The university is now building a research apparatus into its system and plans to publish a research journal.

Hoque also conducted his own research. One study looked at empirically linking the impact of trade reform on poverty alleviation, with Bangladesh as a case study. He presented a paper on the subject, which is being published in the BU Journal. A second study examined the unique aspects of Bangladesh's rural development programs. "Many new ideas have evolved for developing rural areas in Bangladesh and have brought accolades from around the world," he says. "However, little has been written about them. I plan to write a book about these achievements." Hoque also presented a paper at two seminars in India.

Part of Hoque's research involved visits to BRAC's rural development projects. He witnessed villages carrying out a variety of activities for poor, rural women, such as discussing non-traditional methods of generating income, with small amounts borrowed from microlenders, and learning their legal rights concerning divorce, child support and voting. His most memorable visit, however, was to a lemon orchard. The farmer there had started with only two saplings. He now has a two-acre orchard and is considered wealthy. These activities gave Hoque great hope for the alleviation of poverty in Bangladesh.

Hoque's wife, Naseem, accompanied him on the grant. While there she evaluated the BRAC childcare program at the request of its director. Naseem Hoque is the childcare director of a Maryland branch of the YMCA.

"My experience was wonderful," Anwarul Hoque says. "I developed excellent relationships with everyone at the university. They accepted me wholeheartedly, and as the first Fulbright Scholar at the university, I earned respect from all concerned."

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