A visionary’s legacy: Rebuilding war-torn Bangladesh

On a stormy night in 1972, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed took shelter in a shop loft in Shalla, a remote village in northeastern Bangladesh. Rain pounded on the tin roof as the 36-year-old lay exhausted from a 17-mile walk, having come to witness the aftermath of the devastation caused by the country's War of Independence. It marked a turning point -- not just in his life, but in the trajectory of a land struggling to rebuild. That night planted the seeds of a mission that would go on to impact millions in the decades ahead.

Earlier, as the Liberation War broke out in 1971, Abed left his secure job as Head of Finance at Shell Oil. He co-founded Action Bangladesh and HELP Bangladesh to support the freedom movement. After independence in 1972, he returned to a nation in ruins -- millions of refugees returning home, villages burnt, and livelihoods shattered.

A nation in turmoil: Struggle after independence

Bangladesh's first five years were turbulent, with widespread poverty, political unrest, and natural disasters. A devastating famine in 1974, deadly cyclones, and war-torn infrastructure tested the nation's resilience and demanded bold, innovative solutions.

Abed began his work in Shalla with a social experimental approach, blending an anthropological lens with his background in accounting. He led a needs assessment survey with young volunteers and university students to understand the scale of devastation and identify priorities. Their findings shaped his plan to rebuild the villages. Initially called 'Tran Songho' (Relief Association) by local youths, the initiative was later renamed Brac -- Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee.

Backed by data and a deep understanding of local needs, Abed secured $430,000 from Oxfam to launch a large-scale rehabilitation project. Brac's first major success was building over 10,000 homes -- far surpassing its target -- and supplying materials for thousands more families to rebuild.

Rethinking development: A visionary model

After nearly a year of relief work in Shalla, Abed realised that long-term development needed self-reliance. Brac shifted to an "integrated model," focusing on human and institutional infrastructure. Renamed in 1973 as the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, Brac expanded its efforts into eight key areas, including agriculture, education, health, and vocational training. Community centres (Gono Kendras) at their core, promoting self-reliance and sustainable development.

A strong believer in learning and adaptation, Abed soon saw the limits of conventional 'Community Development' models. Though initially drawn to the 'Comilla' BARD Model, he found it excluded the poorest in the truest sense of development. Inspired by Paulo Freire's concept of 'conscientisation,' he shifted Brac's focus to a targeted approach in the late 1970s --  empowering the landless and marginalised, enabling them to organise and reduce dependence on external aid.

Brac expands beyond Shalla

The primary success in Shalla led Abed to expand Brac's activities to other areas in need. During the 1974 famine, he accepted Oxfam's request to run a feeding program for 35,000 children in Rowmari. Brac's efforts extended beyond relief, focusing on resilience and livelihoods. In flood-hit Jamalpur, 840 women joined a "Food-for-Work" program, growing sunflower and jute in exchange for wheat rations. In 1975, UNICEF invited Brac to provide functional education to support their development.

Microfinance: The game changer

Through years of experience, Abed realised that lasting and large-scale change required both economic and social progress—with financial inclusion as a key pillar. In the late 1970s, poor communities had little access to formal credit and often turned to exploitative moneylenders. To address this, Brac launched the Rural Credit and Training Programme (RCTP), providing not just loans but also training. This initiative laid the groundwork for Brac's microfinance program, with savings as a key component, ultimately transforming millions of lives across Asia and Africa.

Organising people is the key

Abed believed that people would remain powerless unless they united around shared goals. He saw organisation and critical consciousness as the keys to understanding one's needs and taking collective action. Central to his philosophy was the idea of nurturing hope and self-worth in every individual, empowering them to overcome challenges. He championed access to knowledge and resources as the spark that could ignite inner potential. Through village organisations, Brac united individuals and communities, fostering a spirit of solidarity and cooperation. Together, they fought for fair wages, challenged social injustices, asserted their rights to public resources, and demanded political representation.

Poverty eradication through an integrated approach 

Abed recognised that poverty stemmed from multiple, interconnected factors. To address this, Brac introduced its first integrated development initiative in Manikganj in the mid-1970s, combining efforts in health, education, agriculture, and income generation. This holistic approach laid the foundation for future programs. 

Manikganj soon became Brac's "testing ground"—a place to pilot and refine new ideas before scaling them to other parts of the country. Here, Abed merged key sectors like health, education, and agriculture, while also connecting rural women's handicraft skills to urban markets, paving the way for sustainable livelihoods. The success of these trials led to the creation of several social enterprises through income-generating initiatives, including Aarong, Ayesha Abed Foundation, Brac Sericulture, and more.

Women as catalysts of change

Years of experience showed Abed the transformative role women play in driving social change. In Rowmari, women ensured food security in times of crisis, and in Jamalpur, they challenged traditional development norms and created their own. These experiences proved the effectiveness of participatory methods and inspired Abed to make women central to Brac's mission. 

Today, Brac partners with millions of women -- teachers, health workers, professionals, artisans, and entrepreneurs -- who drive intergenerational change and contribute to building resilient communities and economies.

Driving transformation by learning and innovation

Through Brac's work in Rowmari, Abed gained critical insights into rural power dynamics and the role of local elites. To deepen his understanding, he established a research unit in 1975 to systematically investigate the complex relationship between power and poverty. By the 1980s, this evolved into the Research and Evaluation Division (RED), blending qualitative and quantitative methods. This commitment to learning and innovation shaped Brac into a dynamic 'learning' organisation'—constantly adapting to bring solutions to new social challenges.

From Bangladesh to the world

The term "Bangladesh paradox" reflects the country's extraordinary progress despite significant challenges. Once dismissed as a "basket case", Bangladesh has risen to global prominence in social development, with Brac playing a key role in this transformation under Abed's persistent leadership. 

Brac's holistic approach, adopted in over a dozen countries from Afghanistan to Uganda, shows how localised, evidence-based interventions can drive lasting, large-scale change. Its microfinance programs have sparked global movements for financial inclusion, its ultra-poor graduation model has been implemented in 50 countries through 100 programs, and its groundbreaking "Southern Development Model" has redefined global development approaches.

A humanist's personal touch

Abed's leadership was deeply personal and profoundly human. His work with Brac transformed countless lives—from 75,000 women artisans in Manikganj who gained self-reliance through Aarong to 12 million mothers taught to make life-saving oral rehydration solutions for their children to 15 million graduates of Brac schools across Asia and Africa. What set him apart was his deep compassion, authenticity, and ability to connect across cultures. He embraced humanity in all its diversity and fearlessly tackled complex problems head-on with unwavering commitment, relentlessly seeking meaningful solutions.

Abed's light: An enduring legacy

As we celebrate Sir Fazle Hasan Abed's remarkable journey on his 89th birthday, we honour his legacy with the Independence Award—a tribute to a life defined by visionary leadership, deep humanity, unwavering commitment, and original thinking. 

From that stormy night in Shalla to a global movement that continues to uplift millions, his work is more than a list of achievements; it is a testament to what is possible when compassion meets action. Abed believed in building lasting change by connecting generations with hope and dignity. His legacy reminds us that even in the darkest of times, collective action can rebuild nations. His story will continue to inspire the pursuit of a just and equal world.

Sketch: TBS

Sara Afreen is the Head of Brand and Programme Communications at Brac.
Rabbi Ahmed is the Content Coordinator of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed Knowledge Hub at Brac. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.