Human Development Foundation
Human Development Foundation
Human Development Foundation (HDF) is a company limited by guarantee and licensed under Section 26 of the Companies Act, 1913. It was registered as a non-profit social welfare organization, by the Registrar of the Joint Stock Companies of Bangladesh on 29th November 1993. From the very beginning of its journey, HDF is working with an endeavor to promote welfare of the poor and provide assistance for the distressed through social welfare steps, especially in the field of education. The core programme of the Foundation is Talent Assistance Scheme (TAS), a brainchild of late Alamgir M.A. Kabir, the founder chairman of the Foundation. TAS is directed with the aim of providing financial support in the form of interest-free loan to financially disadvantaged but meritorious students, mostly from rural areas. Every year 60 students, 30 girls and 30 boys, from the level of HSC first year are offered the award of interest-free loan. The assistance continues till the completion of their graduation/post graduation degree without any break. The members are also provided with donations for books and dresses. Another major programme of the Foundation is Rural School Library Enrichment Programme (RUSLEP). The goal of the project is to build up libraries in rural schools with a good stock of suitable books, other than the prescribed text books; and to expose the students to the domain of education and enlightenment in which they are considerably disadvantaged compared to their fellow students of urban background. HDF is also implementing projects in various sectors through partner organizations in different parts of the country.
Ms. Khushi Kabir elected as new Chairperson of Human Development Foundation
At its 31st Annual General Meeting, held on 27th December 2025, the Human Development Foundation (HDF) formed a Governing Board for the next two years. Renowned social worker and human rights activist Ms. Khushi Kabir, Eminent Social Worker and Coordinator, Nijera Kori was elected Chairperson of the Board. Other elected members of the board include:
Human Development Foundation (HDF) is deeply saddened by the recent demises of its former Honorable Chairmen: Major General (Retd.) Prof. Dr. A. R. Khan, Kazi Fazlur Rahman, and Dr. Hamida Akhtar Begum.
1. Major General (Retd.) Prof. Dr. A. R. Khan (1926–2026)
Major General (Retd.) Prof. Dr. A. R. Khan (1926–2026) was a distinguished Bangladeshi physician, military medical officer, and former caretaker government adviser. He served as an Adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the 1996 caretaker government and made extensive contributions to national healthcare. He passed away at the age of 100 on August 5, 2026 at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.
Throughout his distinguished life, Dr. A. R. Khan made remarkable contributions to medicine, education, research, and humanitarian service. His dedication to human welfare remains an enduring legacy.
Dr. A. R. Khan served as a Board Member of the Human Development Foundation (HDF) from 1997 to 2012 and as Chairman from 2012 to 2023.
2. Kazi Fazlur Rahman (1932–2025)
Born on 1st November 1932, Kazi Fazlur Rahman was an eminent Bangladeshi educationist, administrator, social worker, and litterateur. He studied Statistics at the University of Dhaka and the London School of Economics, and later pursued higher studies in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and Development Economics at Oxford University. He passed away at the age of 93 on December 13, 2025 in Dhaka.
He served as an adviser to the country's first caretaker government, where he set a unique example of wisdom, integrity, and impartiality in state governance. In post-independence Bangladesh, he successively held the positions of secretary to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Education. His final assignment as a government official was serving as a Member of the Planning Commission with the seniority and status of Cabinet Secretary.
Beyond his national responsibilities, he also served with distinction at the international level, holding senior positions with various international development organizations, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. His contribution to social service was equally remarkable. He served as the chairperson of the Radda MCH–FP Centre from its inception, where his visionary leadership helped establish a strong and sustainable foundation for maternal and child healthcare and family planning services.
A lifelong devotee of literature, Kazi Fazlur Rahman authored three novels, six Bengali short story collections, one English short story collection, and a five-volume diary series published in national newspapers. In recognition of his contributions, particularly in the education sector, he received awards from UNICEF.
Kazi Fazlur Rahman was one of the original 10 sponsor members of Human Development Foundation. He also held the position of Chairman from 2003 to 2016.
3. Dr. Hamida Akhtar Begum (1941–2025)
Born on December 31, 1941, Dr. Hamida Akhtar Begum, was an eminent psychologist and a distinguished scholar in the field of social science. She completed her B.A. Honors in 1961, M.A. in Philosophy in 1962 and M.A. in Psychology in 1963 from Dhaka University. She attained Masters and Ph.D. Degrees with distinction in 1969 and 1973 respectively from the University of Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Hamida Akhter Begum died at the age of 83 on October 21, 2025 in Dhaka.
She served the University of Dhaka for over five decades (1964–2018) as a teacher, researcher, and administrator, including as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychology. Renowned as a prolific scholar and writer, she authored some 80 publications. In addition to her teaching and research, Professor Hamida Akhtar Begum, a dedicated social worker, was deeply involved with numerous social development organizations and made significant contributions to women’s development issues at national level. In recognition of her contributions, she was listed in Who's Who, Bangladesh Women at a Glance (2011) and Marquis Who's Who in the World (15th Edition, 1997).
Dr. Hamida Akhtar Begum was also one of the 10 founding sponsor members of HDF. She served as Chairman from 2023 to 2026. Moreover, she served as the Foundation’s Hony. Treasurer for over 2 decades, fulfilling her responsibilities with utmost dedication.
Human Development Foundation was extraordinarily fortunate to receive the guidance, inspiration, and unwavering support from these three remarkable leaders. We will always remember them with deep gratitude.
May their souls rest in eternal peace in Jannah.
The most significant programme of the Foundation Talent Assistance Scheme (TAS) is directed with the aim of providing financial support in the form of the interest-free loan to financially disadvantaged but meritorious students, mostly from rural areas. The scheme is significant in that it facilitates --
The project was launched in 1986 by the erstwhile BCC Foundation with a view to building up libraries in rural schools with a good stock of suitable books, other than the prescribed textbooks; and to expose the students to the domain of education and enlightenment in which they are considerable --
Besides its own projects i.e. TAS and RUSLEP, HDF has been implementing a number of projects in various sectors through partner organizations in different parts of the country. In order to assess the submitted project proposals and to help the Governing Board to find out the suitable --
