Prof Tofail Ahmed, one of the most prominent voices for strengthening Bangladesh’s local government system, passed away on Wednesday night at the United Hospital in Dhaka. He was 71.
Prof Tofail, who had been suffering from heart complications, died around 9:30 pm while undergoing treatment, his son-in-law Sarowar Jahan confirmed.
His career spans from academia, policy reform, and development consultancy, with a deep focus on strengthening democratic institutions, as well as local government institutions.
A former professor of Chittagong University, Tofail Ahmed was serving as the chairman of the Local Government Reform Commission. Known for his lifelong commitment to decentralisation and good governance, he played a vital role in several national reform initiatives.
Born on March 1, 1954, in Fatehpur of Hathazari upazila in Chattogram, Tofail completed his SSC from Fatehabad High School and HSC from Chittagong College.
He earned his BA and MA in political science (public administration group) from the Chittagong University in 1976 and 1977. Later, he obtained his MSc (economics) and PhD in social and economic studies from the University of Wales, Swansea.
He began his career as an honorary assistant teacher at Fatehpur High School in 1975.
He later worked at Agrani Bank, Chittagong Port Authority, and the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) in Cumilla, before joining his alma mater as a faculty member in 1994.
Over his long and distinguished career, Tofail served as governance adviser at Shiree, adviser at the UNDP’s local governance programme, director of governance and development at BRAC University’s BIGD, and director of governance at Manusher Jonno Foundation.
He also taught as an adjunct professor at North South University and served as vice-chancellor of Britannia University, Cumilla, from 2018 to 2021.
He was widely respected for his research and consultancy work with national and international organisations including ADB, Unicef, LGED, and the Planning Commission.
A founding member of several civil society organisations — including Shujan, COAST Trust, and the Knowledge Trust — Prof Tofail was also an executive committee member of the Initiative for the Promotion of Liberal Democracy (IPLD).
An author of 25 books in both Bangla and English, he was a columnist and television commentator on governance and political issues.
He is survived by his family members, colleagues, and admirers across the country to mourn his death.