Shah M S Kibria

Shah A M S Kibria was the Minister of Finance for the People's Republic of Bangladesh from 1996 – 2001. He was also a Member of Parliament during that session. He was assassinated on January 27th 2005 in a grenade attack in his constituency of Habiganj in Sylhet. Before serving as Finance Minister, Kibria was Executive Secretary of ESCAP ( UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) with the rank and status of Under Secretary-General of the United Nations from May 1981 to March 1992.

After the general election on June 12, 1996, Kibria joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as Minister of Finance. He served in this capacity until the government's term expired in July 2001.

Major achievements as Finance Minister: Bangladesh achieved, for the first time, GDP growth at average rate of 5.83 % during 1996-2001. Average rate of inflation was well below 5%. The inflation rate in June 2001 was only 1.53%. Exports rose from $3884m in 1995-96 to $6477m in 2000-2001. Investment in the social sector, (education, health etc) increased from 21.02% of the total budget in 1995-96 to 24.7% in 2000-2001. The rate of national savings increased over the five-year period of the Awami League from 20.17 to 23.78 percent. Similarly, rate of investment increased from 19.99% in 1995-96 to 23.63% in 2000-2001.

The physical infrastructure was improved and modernized. Electricity generating capacity rose from 2105 megawatts to 3600 megawatts.

For the first time in half a century, Bangladesh achieved food self- sufficiency.

Rice and wheat production in 1995-96 was 190.6 m metric tons. In 2000-2001 the figure rose to 264.91 tons.

Expectation of life at birth: The figure rose from 58.7 years in 1995-96 to 61.8 years in 2000-2001.

Per capita calorie intake: rural areas, from 2206.1 to 2274.2 kilocalorie, in urban areas, from 2220.2 to2283.3 kilocalorie during the five-years of the Awami League..

Literacy rate: Literacy rate for 15old and above was 47.3 percent in 1995-96; the rate went up to 64 percent in 2000.

Infant mortality rate: 67 per thousand in 1995-96. The rate went down in 1998 to 57 per thousand live births.

Elected Chairman of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 1997 annual session

Elected President of the Governing Council of International Fund for Agricultural Development 1998.

In the general election on October 1, 2001, elected a Member of Parliament from Habiganj-3 constituency.

Chairman , Bangladesh Foundation for Development Research.