I worked for 25-years for trade and commerce strategy development, value chain analysis, foreign direct investment, export strategy development, subcontracting arrangement among business traders, rural and community development and participation, capacity building for communities and institutions, training module preparation, value chain management, business development services for clients, commercial banks, , food security, input supply and agro based food processing project funded by CIDA known as “Farm to Market Enterprise Development Project”, microfinance programme in countries and other least, post conflict and post disaster countries, closely involved with mid-term and final evaluation of many projects, overall project and programme management and implementation, women ‘economic security and human rights, local economic development, experience in Asia and African developing countries, MSMEs access to finance from financial institutions, micro enterprise development, market development and business development services in Southern African countries and also Sub-Saharan countries, donor coordination and compliance, Livelihood analysis – zoning and baselines, early warning communications, climate impacts and food security, monitoring and evaluation, vulnerability assessments, baseline studies and quantitative data analysis, regular communication with partners, project progress and financial reporting, monitoring and supervision for the achievement of project performance etc. During the working period, functionally I worked on rural and community development, livelihoods, rural market development, governance reform, local economic development, supported financial sector development and financial inclusion through facilitating better regulation and market provision of financial services. Conducted research, provided advice, and developed capacity building programs for regulators, market players, and other parties operating in the low-income market, rural water supply and sanitation, microfinance outreach, access to small and medium enterprises(SMEs) financing, financial institution development, market research, value-chain, risk management, management information system, human capacity development, income generation program, prevention and awareness creation of HIV/AIDS with different funded programmes in Bangladesh and other developing countries. So I would like to confirm you that I have more than 25-years professional experiences with UNDP, UNCDF, UNIDO/UNOPS, ADB, AfDB, AUSAID and Commonwealth, EU, CIDA, DANIDA, DFID and World Bank funded program in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Sierra Leone in the areas of microfinance, trade opportunities, export market promotion and linkages, partnership management with governments and NGOs,disaster management, rural and community development, project proposal preparation for funding, private sector development and identification of constraints in least developing countries, youth employment creation through entrepreneurship culture, value chain management, marketing linkage and development of market chains, micro and MSMEs enterprise development, business development services and business counseling for the potential entrepreneurs, disaster risk management and disaster response, recovery and reconstruction for community people through microfinance and rural finance programme, capacity building of government and non-government organizations, rural job creation programme through rural maintenance work, monitoring and supervision of rural infrastructure activities, work plan and budget preparation quarterly and annually, programme support and technical backstopping for efficient project implementation, settlement, reintegration and protection in post conflict and post disaster countries, financial market analysis, product development, human resource development, administration, donors and government liaison, effective coordination and uses of resource mobilization and operations, managing staff, financial resources and reporting performances to donors and any other relevant stakeholders/partners. Even, I have experiences to resolve conflict, overcome problems and to take decision following participatory team spirit. Moreover, I would like to present a summary note on my professional experiences which are given below:
· Presently, I have been working as Social Scientist cum Resettlement Specialist with Rural transport Improvement Project-11(RTIP-11, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) funded by World Bank in Bangladesh from 18/07/2013 to till now and this project (RTIP-11) will continue for five years.
- Worked as Team Leader for Improved Justice Legal Services from 01/03/2013 to 17/07/2013 with national NGO known as “Light House” based in Bogra, Bangladesh which was funded by DFID and implementation of the project with the Maxwell Stamp PLC.
- Worked as a “Social Mobilizer” with Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project under Bangladesh Bridge Authority, Government of Bangladesh for the resettlement, livelihood for displaced population and relocation with suitable place for displacement people from 4/11/2012 to 16/07/2013. Before that, I worked with local NGO known as Debi Chowdhurany Palli Unnayan Kendra as Programme Director from October 2011 to October 2012. I worked with local consultancy firms known as “Pathmark Associates Ltd” and “Resource Planning and Management Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd” Dhaka as a “Freelance National Consultant” in Bangladesh.
- Director (Programme) with local NGO known as “Debi Chodhurany Palli Unnayan” Rangpur, Bangladesh for supporting flood affected communities under Char Livelihoods Programme(CLP), DFID funded programme following survey;
- In August-September, 2011, I completed the consultancy assessment assignment of Rural Employment Opportunities for Public Assets Project (REOPA) of UNDP project (Haor basin areas), Dhaka.
- In July 2006, I completed my assignment as Marketing Specialist with UNOPS/ UNIDO funded programme based in Banda Aceh, Indonesia to assist the recovery and reconstruction of tsunami affected communities through micro enterprise development programme and provided technical assistance for the preparation and implementation of disaster strategic plan and policies. My contract expired on 24 July 2006 due to the closure of funding from donors.
- Completed assignment as Microfinance Specialist with Bhutan Development Finance Corporation Limited (BDFCL) under UNDP funded “Human Food Security Fund” project in Bhutan on 20th October 2009. Once again, I have completed another assignment with BDFCL, Bhutan under UNCDF funded “Micro led Inclusive Financial Services” project from 5th February 2010 to 4th August 2010 and my contract has ended on 4-August 2010.
- In December 2005, completed my assignment as Technical Adviser (Micro-Finance) of Commonwealth Secretariat in the area of Youth and Adolescent Girls micro-credit Initiative and micro enterprise development programme supporting to the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Sierra Leone in conjunction with HIV/AIDS for the sustainable employment generation of Youth and my contract expired in February 2006 due to the phase out of project.
- I worked as Programme Officer-microfinance and MSMEs sector with UNCDF/UNF/AUSAID/UNDP funded Micro-Start project, Maputo, Mozambique from June 2003 to December 2004 where I managed and supervised four projects (Micro Start, Upstream, Enterprise Mozambique, Zambezia HIV/AIDS project) mainly focused on livelihood programs, microfinance, micro and small enterprise development programme and four professional coordinators and a lot of national and international professional Experts for implementation of the programme and project management. Moreover, I managed donor coordination for donor funding, project design and proposal formulation, and reporting for multi-donors cost sharing project and resources mobilization for UNDP poverty reduction & HIV/AIDS programme. In my portfolio as Programme Officer, I covered promotion of economic and social empowerment of women through integrated, gender-sensitive program strategies and also strategies for community capacity building for government and NGOs that lead sustainable development.
- I worked with UNDP, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as “Marketing Linkage Specialist” from February 2000 to February 2002 and functional responsibility with Enterprise Ethiopia Programe. This programme was funded by UNDP and UNCTAD and it is called EMPRETEC programme where I worked with UNDP mainly in the field of private sector development focused on MSMEs entrepreneurship development, marketing and business management, business development services, micro enterprise development, foreign linkage programme, sub-contracting programme, entrepreneurship skill training, marketing management training, micro-credit, and community development. In Ethiopia, I worked as United Nations Short Term Adviser to support Enterprise Ethiopia funded by JICA and UNDP, Ethiopia for the preparation of strategic documents on subcontracting among micro, small, medium and large enterprises.
- I worked with EU funded Rural Development Project known as RDP-9 & RD-8 project related to rural road improvement and maintenance through the community groups for 10 (ten) years under Hifab International AB in different professional capacities such as Manager (Admn. & Personnel), Deputy Manager (Admn. & Personnel), Assistant Director (Admn. & Personnel) and Marketing Specialist in the areas of rural road improvement and maintenance, bridges contracted by Women group including indigenous people human resources management and administration, operation and organization management, security management, aid coordination and resources mobilization, poverty reduction, marketing, micro enterprise development, micro credit, recruitment, conduct discipline for the project professional and staff, experience to establish innovative recruitment strategies for attracting the best candidates from the employment market, human resources management, administrative, logistics, inventory management & support services and capacity building for business networking and empowering entrepreneurs for increasing their bargaining power. In these positions, I assisted a lot of local and International Consultants in preparing MED programme assessment, personnel manual and planning & program implementation.
- I worked with CIDA funded program known “Farm to Market Enterprise Development Project” as a National Consultant for the reduction of poverty for the benefits of marginal farmers. In this project, I conducted a preliminary survey of the marketing system in the different project areas and assisted the international Consultant in designing a marketing strategy for beneficiaries, both for men and women farmer producers. I also organized meetings with traders, transporters, marketing intermediaries, wholesale and commission agents for making networking to benefit the marginal farmers.
- I worked with DANIDA funded project under Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation in the areas of marketing promotion and processing of fishery products in the coastal belt areas, development of fishermen living in the coastal areas especially focused on gender equality and empowerment of women, human resources management, administration and coordination with program and finance section for 8(eight) years. I worked under Project Management Team which consist of Chief Technical Adviser and General Manager of Fish Harbour Complex, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Based on my professional expertise with coastal belt areas related to climate change, job creation, microfinance and youth employment generation programme, I believe that I will be an outstanding candidate for this consultancy assignment.
Thank you once again for your kind cooperation and please be informed for the acknowledgement of this mail including document as per requirement.
Best regards.
Yours truly
(Tofayel Hossain Basunia)
07/11/2014
Social Scientist cum Resettlement Specialist and Micro Finance Expert
Bangladesh telephone: +88-02-9022822
Mobile: +88-01552330394 or 1753646888
E-mail:thbasunia@yahoo.com
