Shaikh Fazlur Rahman, who transformed transportation in Bangladesh as chief engineer of its roads and highways department, has died. He was 92. Highly esteemed for his contributions, after he claimed to have retired, he continued serving in top roles with several global organizations including the World Bank.
Rahman, P.E., F.ASCE, had a transportation engineering career that spanned more than 50 years in all aspects of road development – conceptualizing, planning, designing, and constructing everything from highways to local roads throughout Bangladesh, including major bridges.
He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University (Raleigh).
Rahman’s name and legacy lives on at the roads and highways department he once led through his memoir A Highway Engineer’s Untold Story. The book portrays his professional life through the government corridors of power and politics, displaying his ability to navigate them to be able to construct roads, highways, and bridges in sometimes unexplored terrains in Bangladesh.
Rahman was known for an honest, gentle nature, a family man who served his community with integrity and commitment. He cared to share his insights and lessons as well as a cornucopia of other valuable information with future generations of engineers working in specialties such as his.
He was sole arbitrator for the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce from 2008 to 2012. Prior to that he was managing director of Resource Management and Infrastructure Development Consultants Ltd., and was a senior advisor with Japan Overseas Consultants Co. Ltd.
