John Hancock Asset Backed Securities Fund ADVISORY AGREEMENT

APPOINTMENT OF ADVISER

DUTIES OF THE ADVISER

Subject to the general supervision of the Trustees of the Fund and the terms of this Agreement, the Adviser will at its own expense, except as noted below, select and contract with investment subadvisers (“Subadvisers”) to manage the investments and determine the composition of the assets of the Fund including its subsidiaries, if any; provided, that any contract with a Subadviser (a “Subadvisory Agreement”) shall be in compliance with and approved as required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), except for such exemptions therefrom as may be granted to the Fund or the Adviser. Subject always to the direction and control of the Trustees of the Fund, the Adviser will monitor the Subadviser’s management of the Fund’s investment operations in accordance with the investment objectives and related investment policies, as set forth in the Fund’s registration statement under management of such Subadviser and review and report to the Trustees of the Fund on the performance of such Subadviser.

The Adviser shall furnish to the Fund the following:

Office and Other Facilities. - The Adviser shall furnish to the Fund office space in the offices of the Adviser or in such other place as may be agreed upon by the parties hereto from time to time, and all necessary office facilities and equipment.

Trustees and Officers. - The Adviser agrees to permit individuals who are directors, officers or employees of the Adviser to serve (if duly elected or appointed) as Trustees or President of the Fund without remuneration from or other cost to the Fund.

Investment Personnel. - The Adviser shall furnish to the Fund any personnel necessary for the oversight and/or conduct of the investment operations of the Fund. For the elimination of doubt, however, the Adviser shall not be obligated to furnish to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement personnel for the performance of functions: (a) related to and to be performed under any other separate contract from time-to-time in effect between the Fund and the Adviser or another party for legal, accounting, administrative and other non-investment related services; (b) related to and to be performed under the Fund contract for custodial, bookkeeping, transfer and dividend disbursing agency services by the bank or other financial institution selected to perform such services; or (c) related to the investment subadvisory services to be provided by any Subadviser pursuant to a Subadvisory Agreement.

Reports to Fund. - The Adviser shall furnish to, or place at the disposal of, the Fund such information, reports, valuations, analyses and opinions as the Fund may, at any time or from time to time, reasonably request or as the Adviser may deem helpful to the Fund, provided that the expenses associated with any such materials furnished by the Adviser at the request of the Fund shall be borne by the Fund.

In addition to negotiating and contracting with Subadvisers as set forth in section (2)(a) of this Agreement and providing facilities, personnel and services as set forth in section (2)(b), the Adviser will pay the compensation of the President and Trustees of the Fund who are also directors, officers or employees of the Adviser or its affiliates.

The Adviser may elect to manage the investments and determine the composition of the assets of the Fund and its subsidiaries, subject to the approval of the Trustees of the Fund. In the event of such election, the Adviser, subject always to the direction and control of the Trustees of the Fund, will manage the investments and determine the composition of the assets of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s registration statement, as amended. In fulfilling its obligations to manage the investments and reinvestments of the assets of the Fund, the Adviser:

will obtain and evaluate pertinent economic, statistical, financial and other information affecting the economy generally and individual companies or industries the securities of which are included in the Fund or are under consideration for inclusion in the Fund;

will formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Fund consistent with the investment objectives and related investment policies for the Fund as described in the Fund’s registration statement, as amended;

will take whatever steps are necessary to implement these investment programs by the purchase and sale of securities including the placing of orders for such purchases and sales;

will regularly report to the Trustees of the Fund with respect to the implementation of these investment programs;

will provide assistance to the Fund’s Custodian regarding the fair value of securities held by the Fund for which market quotations are not readily available;

will furnish, at its expense: (i) all necessary investment and management facilities, including salaries of personnel required for it to execute its duties faithfully; and (ii) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the investment affairs of the Fund (excluding any such services that are the subject of a separate agreement as may from time to time be in effect between the Fund and the Adviser or another party);

will select brokers and dealers to effect all transactions subject to the following conditions: the Adviser will place all necessary orders with brokers, dealers, or issuers, and will negotiate brokerage commissions if applicable; the Adviser is directed at all times to seek to execute brokerage transactions for the Fund in accordance with such policies or practices as may be established by the Trustees and described in the Fund’s registration statement as amended; the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer which provides research and brokerage services a higher spread or commission for a particular transaction than otherwise might have been charged by another broker-dealer, if the Adviser determines that the higher spread or commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services that such broker-dealer provides, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the Adviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to accounts managed by the Adviser; and the Adviser may use for the benefit of its other clients, or make available to companies affiliated with the Adviser for the benefit of such companies or their clients, any such brokerage and research services that the Adviser obtains from brokers or dealers;

to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may, but shall be under no obligation to, on occasions when the Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients of the Adviser, aggregate the securities to be purchased or sold to attempt to obtain a more favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Adviser in the manner the Adviser considers to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to its other clients;

will maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Fund as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and the rules thereunder; and

will vote all proxies received in connection with securities held by the Fund.

EXPENSES ASSUMED BY THE FUND

Edgarization, Printing and Mailing. - Costs of edgarization, printing and mailing (i) all registration statements (including all amendments thereto) and prospectuses/statements of additional information (including all supplements thereto), all annual, semiannual and periodic reports to shareholders of the Fund, regulatory authorities or others, (ii) all notices and proxy solicitation materials furnished to shareholders of the Fund or regulatory authorities and (iii) all tax returns;

Compensation of Officers and Trustees. - Compensation of the officers and Trustees of the Fund (other than persons serving as President or Trustee of the Fund who are also directors, officers or employees of the Adviser or its affiliates);

Registration and Filing Fees. - Registration, filing, blue sky and other fees in connection with requirements of regulatory authorities, including, without limitation, all fees and expenses of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund under the 1940 Act and the registration of the Fund’s shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

Custodial Services. - The charges and expenses of the custodian appointed by the Fund for custodial services;

Administrative Services. The charges and expenses of the administrative services of the Fund;

Accounting Fees. - The charges and expenses of the independent accountants retained by the Fund;

Transfer, Bookkeeping and Dividend Disbursing Agents. - The charges and expenses of any transfer, bookkeeping and dividend disbursing agents appointed by the Fund;

Commissions. - Broker’s commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party;

Taxes. - Taxes and corporate fees payable by the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies and the expenses incurred in the preparation of all tax returns;

Stock Certificates. - The cost of stock certificates, if any, representing shares of the Fund;

Legal Services. Legal services and expenses in connection with the affairs of the Fund, including registering and qualifying its shares with regulatory authorities;

Membership Dues. - Association membership dues;

Insurance Premiums. - Insurance premiums for fidelity, errors and omissions, directors and officers and other coverage;

Shareholders and Trustees Meetings. - Expenses of shareholders and Trustees meetings;

Pricing. - Pricing of the Fund and its shares, including the cost of any equipment or services used for obtaining price quotations and valuing Fund portfolio investments;

Interest. - Interest on borrowings;

Communication Equipment. - All charges for equipment or services used for communication between the Adviser or the Fund and the custodian, transfer agent or any other agent selected by the Fund;

Investment Servicing. Any services, reimbursed by the Fund on a pro rata basis, provided in connection with investments held by the Fund, including but not limited to servicing, loan closing, and asset administration; and

Nonrecurring and Extraordinary Expense. - Such nonrecurring expenses as may arise, including the costs of actions, suits, or proceedings to which the Fund is, or is threatened to be made, a party and the expenses the Fund may incur as a result of its legal obligation to provide indemnification to its Trustees, officers, agents and shareholders.

COMPENSATION OF ADVISER

NON-EXCLUSIVITY

SUPPLEMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

REGULATION

DURATION AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT

PROVISION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY ADVISER.

the Adviser fails to be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act or under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the Adviser is required to be registered as an investment adviser in order to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

the Adviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Fund; and

the chief executive officer or managing member of the Adviser or the portfolio manager of the Fund changes.

AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

NOTICES

SEVERABILITY

GOVERNING LAW

NAME OF THE FUND

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY UNDER THE DECLARATION OF TRUST

LIABILITY OF THE ADVISER

EXECUTION