Former Dhaka University professor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar has been sworn in as a new member of the Advisory Council of the interim government.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered his oath at Bangabhaban on Wednesday morning.

During the brief ceremony, Abrar first took the oath for the advisory position and then the oath of secrecy. Following the ceremony, he signed the oath book.

Earlier, at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Tuesday, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said: “Prof CR Abrar is a highly esteemed teacher from Dhaka University. He will take the oath tomorrow.

“Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud has been saying for some time that he is unable to handle two ministries simultaneously. Since he is at an advanced stage and has significant responsibilities in the planning ministry, Prof CR Abrar is being included in the advisory council.”

An expert in refugee and labour migration issues, CR Abrar was born on August 17, 1952, in Faridpur. His father was Abdus Sattar Chowdhury and his mother was Sofia Sultana.

After completing his secondary and higher secondary education at Mirzapur Cadet College, he enrolled at Dhaka University in 1972.

He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international relations from Dhaka University.

Later, he obtained an MA in the same field from the University of Sussex, UK, and a PhD from Griffith University, Australia.

He taught at Dhaka University for four decades from 1979.

A distinguished scholar in international relations, Abrar serves as the executive director of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU).

He has long been involved in research on Rohingya refugees, short-term labour migration and the citizenship status of the Urdu-speaking community living in camps in Bangladesh.

He has published articles in national and international journals on labour recruitment industries, social security and the rights of Rohingya refugees.