[1] Hossain was born in 1930 at the police station of Pachuria village, Mahadevpur, Manikganj, British India, (now Bangladesh).

(Pass) degree from Calcutta University, with subjects including mathematics, English, Bengali and economics.

From 1957 to 1959 Hossain was Assistant Chief Economist in the Social Science Division at the Planning Board of the East Pakistan Government.

In 1968, Hossain spent a year as visiting fellow in the Department of Social Statistics, Birmingham University, United Kingdom.

Hossain was an elected member of the Senate, Finance Committee, and Academic Council of Rajshahi University.