An Amazing House

The electronic and print media have shown us how Begum Khaleda Zia breaks down at her Gulshan office as she was evicted from her cantonment residence where she lived nearly four decades. Whether the eviction was legal or not, that is not author’s concern. It is sure that she is shocked at the incident. She loved the house very much as saying goes "My house is my Heaven" and that is quite natural. We have lot to learn from and share on the issues of the house. Almost all the electronic media of the country are now focusing on issues of the house. This is not an ordinary house rather it can be called an Amazing House based on recent reports of the electronic and print media using the key words: Location, Sanction, Possession, Eviction, Emotion, Confusion, Fascination, Limitation, Compassion, Motivation, Temptation, Devastation, Justification, Observation Supervision, Discussion and Negotiation. The words need explanation.

People living on banks of the rivers like the Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, and Modhumoti lose their houses very often due to river erosion. They are evicted not by people but by nature. Normally they do not have second shelter for immediate settlement. They make new shelters just for survival. Now we should realize - how much they are shocked even at mid night while sleeping -- they lose not only their houses but their belongings along with their sleeping kids and lands. Even then they live and survive showing much tolerance and praying to Almighty Allah for their peaceful life. Normally nobody is there to show them sympathy because they have no voice to raise it to the concerned authority. They build their houses at their hard earned money and they do not know where and whom to complain. They accept it as written on their fate. Even if complained or applied for support, very rarely responded by the proper authority. This is the reality faced by the author, his family members and the neighbors since 1950 caused by the river Modhumoti that flows over the districts of Faridpur and Gopalgonj. Similar situations can be observed in Sirajgonj, Chandpur and other districts where river erosion is a fierce.

Tsunami, Sidor and Aila like natural calamities destroy thousands of houses in the coastal regions and the devastation is beyond counts in Bangladesh almost every year. While Sidor attacked the Southern region of Bangladesh, a mother gave birth to a child in a primary school tornado shelter on this day of November 15, 2008. The male child was given the name Sidor to remember the special day. Today is the third birth day of Sidor, the son of Mr. George who is a fisherman. Sidor is now growing up with much hope and expectation of his parents. This is also a wonderful case of tolerance in disaster and devastation in Bangladesh history.

Begum Khaeda Zia and her party could create an excellent example showing extreme tolerance capacities before the Eid festival that could attract much more sympathy and supports from all levels of people of the country.  

A wonderful Apple

Apple is one of the best fruits. It is sweet, delicious and good for health and also acts as preventive medicine, but it is not our national fruit and not even produced in the country. Apples are normally imported in bulk quantities from the countries like India, Australia, China and some African countries. They are sold by the foot path sellers, super markets and BDR shops. The electronic and print media frequently show us how the fruits in the country are poisoned using chemicals. It has become almost a normal matter and business people take it as part of their strategies of making profits. The damaging activities started through the footpath sellers. Now it has stepped to super markets and BDR shops as well.

I bought some apples two months ago from a shop where people buy various kinds of fruits with full confidence of having the best and free from poisonous chemicals. It was summer season and temperature was very high when the apples were bought. One of the apples remained unnoticed behind the books on my reading table. Almost two months later, I found it as fresh as it was bought. Now I keep it on my table and use it as a paper weight. Surprisingly neither any insect nor animal touches it. The ants and cockroaches always move around the apple but they do not try to nibble it.

Interested persons can perform the experiment before taking the apples as delicious food. Instead of throwing them out, the imported apples can be used as paper weight rather than food and perhaps that is the best way to save ourselves from early death when we cannot utilize our scientific knowledge to detect which is real and which is poisonous food.  

The exact definition of silent chemical warfare is not known to me but I guess we are now the victims of that type of war imposed by some unknown enemies who are taking the advantages of negligence and illiteracy of some concerned persons, though we have thousands of science literate citizens in the country. Is it not the time to wake up and protect our new generation from such dangers?

Transferring Private Varsities to Virtual Campus

The private universities in the capital city got permission to run their academic and administrative activities in the temporary campus for five years only. After the sanctioned period, the authorities are supposed to shift temporary campuses to permanent campuses. But the latest information is 90% universities in the capital city have failed to fulfill the conditions. As such they have been given time limit up to September 30, 2010 to shift campuses from residential areas to permanent campuses as per rule.

The private university campuses are located in Dhanmondi, Gulshan and Banani residential areas. There are other educational institutes like schools, colleges, hospitals linked with college etc. that have made lives of people in the areas miserable. For educational institutes, peaceful congenial atmosphere is very important. Considering all the factors, it is advisable that government should take necessary steps to make the areas live-able. Harmful situations in residential areas should no longer be encouraged to exist. There should be an end of it and this is the high time to take right decision to save stakeholders including public from the unwanted hazards.

               

But the pertinent question is where the universities will go in this short span of time and what will happen to the students, faculties and staff? It is undoubtedly critical problem for the government, university authorities, students, teachers, office staff and the guardians. What is the best solution? Technology is the best solution and technology is the most effective tool for solving problems of any magnitude. But to remember; technology cannot work itself, some one needs to command it. 

The Universities all over the world are facing a great deal of change and quite some pressure to review and adapt their services to meet the needs of a changing world. The UNESCO 2009 World Conference on Higher Education expressed the need for the universities to widen access to their services and adopt more innovative approaches.

Without any doubt, the Internet, Open source software and Open Educational Resources (OER) are stimulating reforms of European Higher Education. Policymakers, researchers in education, international organizations and higher education institutions agree that ICT have the potential to stimulate international collaboration and to open the borders of the university. Throughout the last decade, numerous initiatives have been taken to experiment with establishment of ICT-enhanced activities, under various frame works and to varying degrees of success.

Virtual Campus can be one of the best solutions for the private universities in Bangladesh. It is an inspiring, hopeful and complex initiative. There are the diversity of cultural understanding around specific topic of virtual campuses, creativity and range of applications of technology in education, complex and changing landscape, and positive spirit of knowledge sharing.

The concept of Virtual Campus is not very old, dating from 1995. The European Policymakers started to stimulate the analysis of the potential of ICT to enhance learning in higher education. The strategic reports of the European Commission state that “new technologies” are of strategic value to build a “university of the future”. The virtual campus concept is referred to as “a specific format of distance education and on-line learning in which students, teaching staff and university administrative and technical staff mainly meet or communicate through technical links.

In Canada, Athabasca University has created the Canadian Virtual University, a consortium of 11 universities. The California Virtual University (CVU) launched in 1997 with 700 courses. Even in the less developed countries like Kenya, the policymakers have started to experiment with the set up of virtual campuses and universities. One prominent example is African Virtual University (AVU), initially launched in Washington in 1997, later transferred to Nairobi, Kenya in 2002. We   now observe many universities offering courses themselves on a virtual campus basis. The term virtual campus is used to describe international cooperation among universities in many places. The number of the virtual campuses is increasing day by day all over Europe, America, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia.    

The Re-ViCa (Reviewing European Virtual Campus) has been set up in Belgium to redefine “Virtual Campus”. The project makes an inventory and systematically reviews cross-institutional virtual campuses of past decade, currently operational virtual campuses and impact of those initiatives that have closed down or become dormant. Re-Vica will make a review of Virtual Campuses and disseminate its results in Europe. By promoting the best cases of virtual campuses and by comparing the European and Non-European initiatives, guidelines and critical success factors are created that enable European virtual campuses interested to setting up a Virtual Campus to maximize their performances. To ensure success of the depth case studies, special care has been taken in selection of the partnership with respect to virtual campus management experience and a vast range of useful contacts with the international experts.

International Advisory Committee consists of 20 European and Non-European experts in the field of Virtual Campuses, each carefully selected on the basis of their experience. The committee members are invited to comment on the findings of the Re-Vica research during several Key Meetings. The first Key Meeting held on June 11, 2008 in Lisbon, Portugal and the second meeting in December 2008 in Berlin, Germany. The third Key Meeting was held on 8^th June 2009 in the MECC, Maastricht, the Netherlands where the author was awarded M-2009 Fellowship and Honor of International Advisory Committee Membership from Asia region by UNESCO/ICDE and Re-ViCa Secretariat respectively.

Higher education area is a very complex world. Keeping the information in mind, the concerned authorities of the private varsities in Bangladesh are requested to think over the matter of shifting campus very seriously. The concept of setting up virtual campus jointly or separately can be one of the best solutions at the present situation under auspices of the Re-Vica Secretariat in Belgium.

MPs unite over poverty reduction

A very exciting message has come to the national daily Star today ( September 18, 2010) along with the pictures. The present and former speakers are found in the smiling faces along with other MPs of all parties.

The Parliamentarians of the ruling party and the main opposition yesterday pledged to work together to eradicate poverty from the country. Despite differences in opinions, they shall remain united in dealing with poverty eradication. The Opposition Chief Whip has  said, "We are here to show our solidarity with the ruling party to work for building a peaceful and rich country.” He also lauded the speaker's initiatives to make parliament effective through participation of the opposition party lawmakers. Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury has said “We sincerely want to achieve all the goals”. The Speaker has said the country had been waiting for such a day when lawmakers of both the ruling and opposition parties unite for a great purpose. He added the consensus among both the parties has increased hope for national development and progress.

As a senior citizen of the country, I should like to comment; it was an excellent congenial atmosphere of cooperation among the Parliamentarians that can build a self relient, prestigious and peaceful nation of the world. They are united to eradicate poverty from the country in all respcts and expected to fulfil other MDGs through unique cooperation among the MPs of all parties.

It is worth mentioning here at the very friendly atmosphere among the senior responsible politicians that the democratic countries have more than one political parties including Bangladesh. They are divided as the “Party in position” and the “Party in opposition”. The opposition parties are the heart of a democratic government. Good relations among the law makers of any country are counted in the positive ways in international markets.

In case of Bangladesh, 16 party alliance and 4 party alliance are known as the parties in position and opposition respectively. The word Opposition means “Birodhi” that has relevance to division, conlict, violence etc. The meaning of the term “Opposition Party” or “Birodhi Dal” indicates some sorts of “enemeties”. Instead of using the term “Party in Opposition”we can we use friendly terms like “party in cooperation” or other term that can attract the parliamentarians to serve the nation better and make a prestigious nation.

We have elected our MPs expecting the best services from them to the nation. The respected voters are the creaters of MPs and surely they do not want conflicts or violence. As the global citizens, we are already far behind in many respects particularly in science and technology that are the main components of digital Bangladesh. At the present world situations, our first priority should be given to maintain congenial atmospheres at all levels so that not only the MPs alone, but the whole nation can work for the national development in more dedicated ways.   

Science is attractive to politicians in Bangladesh

Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan the State Minister for housing and public works of the Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh was the chief guest in the discussion meeting on the national mourning day 23^rd August 2010 held at the Stamford University Bangladesh. While delivering speech on various aspects on life of the father of the nation Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujib, he raised some examples concerning effects of “SCIENCE” on different substances. He stated all substances can exist in any one of the three forms; solid, liquid or gas. For example, water is a chemical substance with its chemical formula H₂O that contains one Oxygen atom and two Hydrogen atoms. Water is liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on its solid state as ice, and gaseous state as water vapor.  
The interesting point is – the Minister is a Politician and Lawyer but he gave scientific example which is uncommon in the political arena. He also mentioned when water is heated, its temperature increases till it rises to 100 degree celcius, the boiling point of water. Alternatively if water is cooled down, its temperature decreases till it reaches to zero degree celcius when water solidifies to convert to ice.
He wanted to explain the impotance of science in fulfiling the dream of Bangobondhu’s Shonar Bangla leading to digital Bangladesh. The Honorable Minister frankly disclosed, he is not a scientist but he loves science and scientists. This is absolutely positive attitude from the political leaders which is very much important at the moment for the national scientific development to adapt ourselves internationally.

In another occasion held on August 17, 2010 at Bangabhaban, the Honorable President Zillur Rahman called for implementation of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant while he was unveiling the “Sudhasmarak” a memorial book on Dr. MA Wajed Miah. The President said the Rooppur Nuclear Plant was a dream of Dr. MA Wajed Miah who was devoted to developing the country and also building the nation through the development of scientific applications. He added that Dr. Wajed Miah cherished the concept of building a modern Bangladesh through the expansion of science education. The Respected President of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh is also a politician and lawyer but his speech on Nuclear Scientist Dr. Wajed Miah indicates how much he loves science and the scientists as well.

The Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has recently raised a very important issue on science education in an event held at capital city, Dhaka. According to his statement the young generation is gradually losing interest in science education. He urged all to attract  new generation to science education for building the technology based prosperous nation. His statements are timely, encouraging, inspiring.and clear indication of love towards the science communities. But we have still a long way to go if we want to reap benefits from science and technology. Some interesting comments are here from international experts.

Scientist Roberto Tuda Rivas from Mexico has recently commented on scientific issues for developing countries- more than just adapting science and technology to local conditions, underdeveloped countries need to form their own scientific communities. That is a great challenge and cannot be met unless developed countries provide guidance. In developing countries, the governments think they can create science by decree and commissioning bureaucrats to create "systems of science and technology". Unfortunately, administrators are not science generators.
Mr. Davis Dickson on July 16, 2010 has written on Editorial column of SciDev.Net-- the biggest single factor limiting developing countries' potential for achieving the sustainable economic growth — or even attaining the Millennium Development Goals is their ability to access and apply the fruits of modern science and technology.
This statement is more complex than it sounds. There are many political and economic obstacles to accessing science and technology. And even if access is granted, effective use of science and technology and adaptation of knowledge to local conditions remains challenging. We need to put capacity building that helps Bangladesh use science and technology at the heart of both international aid policies and diplomatic initiatives. We also need to highlight the importance of effective science communication which is crucial for bridging the gap between producing new knowledge and turning that knowledge into either practice or policy.

The President desires implementation of the Nuclear

On August 17, 2010 at Bangabhaban, President Zillur Rahman called for implementation of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant while unveiling the “Sudhasmarak” a memorial book on Dr. MA Wajed Miah. The book was presented by Prof. AAMS Arfin Siddique, President of the Bongabondhu Education and Research Council (BERC) and Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University. Dr.Wajed Miah is the Founder President of BERC established in 2001. The presidium members, general secretary, members of BERC and the contributors of the book were present in the occasion. The contributors are from different disciplines like the teachers, scientists, researchers, politicians and social workers. The articles are mainly on his personal life from birth to death. His academic, political, scientific research and social activities have been very nicely focused in the book. The President Zillur Rahman called him a devoted scientist and he said the Rooppur Nuclear Plant was a dream of Dr. Wajed Miah who was devoted to developing the country and also building the nation through the development of scientific applications. He further added that Dr. Wajed Miah cherished the concept of building a modern Bangladesh through expansion of science education.

The contributors of the Sudhasmarak have raised different aspects of Dr. Wajed Mia in their writings. This author too has a contribution with the title “Realizing importance of a scientist after death”. The glorious parts of his life have been raised in the article.

In 1969, Dr Wajed Mia got the Associate ship of the Italy based International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and he was engaged in a research project under the world renowned scientist Nobel Laureate Prof. Abdus Salam at ICTP in Trieste, Italy. Dr. Wajed Mia wanted to set up a nuclear power plant at Rooppur, Pabna under guidelines of Prof. Abdus Salam, the founder of ICTP and the third world academy of science (TWAS) but he was not given the opportunity to do so.

A science institute can now be established in the name of Dr. M.A.Wajed Mia, like the Dr. C V Raman University that has been established at Raipur, India to educate the young generations on nuclear science as well as to follow life of the great scientist, Dr. Raman. The author’s direct involvement with Dr. Wajed Mia, and Prof. Shubash Chowbey, the Vice-Chancellor of C V Raman University has enabled him to propose such this project.

Dr. M.A. Wajed Mia is the founder President of the Bongobondhu Sikkha-O-Gobeshona Parishad (Bongobondhu Education and Research Council, BERC) established with the objective of reaching benefits of science education to all, particularly to remote people. Nuclear Scientist Dr. Wajed Mia’s vision was also to establish a sound and sustainable research organization in the country.

An initiative may be taken by the members of the BERC through modification of BERC to BERSC where ‘S’ stands for Science that  means the Bongobondhu Education and Research Council will take shape of the Bongobondhu Education, Research and Science Council (BERSC). To make the issue more transparent, let us take example of UNESCO.  Initially there was no UNESCO in the world rather it was UNECO that means Science was not under consideration even in the developed countries of Europe and America. The delegates meeting at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London on 1st November 1945 were invited to the founding conference of UNECO. The President of the Conference proposed in augural address to put S for Science between the E of education and C for culture. (Ref: World Science Forum 1999). UNECO was thus transformed to UNESCO.

Science for the new generation of Bangladesh

The Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has recently raised a very important issue on science education while he was speaking on ICT in an event held at capital city, Dhaka. According to his statement the young generation is gradually losing interest in science education. He said it will not be good for the education sector and he urged all to attract new generation to science education for building a technology-based prosperous nation. His statements are timely, encouraging and inspiring.

As an academic scientist, I believe making comments on his statements will not create any negative impression on scientists. The first initiative should be to identify the reasons of lack of interest of new generation in science. Once the reason is identified, the solution becomes easier. The education minister has surely identified the reasons.  

It is worth mentioning that the primary, secondary and higher secondary institutes are mainly based in villages but the higher educational institutes including universities are mostly based in the capital city. The childreen particularly remote children are neglected and disadvantaged. Remoteness is one of the main reasons of lack of interest in science. Frankly speaking, there is none to tell them why to study science and what benefits they might get through science learning. But there are people to oppose any initiative if taken on science education. In taking an initiative on scientific development in one remote village through establishing a technical institute, I have bitter experience in last one decade. This can be termed as a “project of scientific advancement fighting against the society, community, government and almost all” except few young boys and girls. This is a risky project as to fight against all. The most dangerous message -- these activities have no recognition from any corner and it brings no reward even if it is fully successful.

From statement of the respected minister it seems the government has good intention of science-technology development targeting creation of digital Bangladesh. Before going to invest money on science and technology project, the respected minister is requested to have a clear picture of science/technolgy position outside the capital city. Thousands of science literate boys, girls, men and women are anxiously passing their time sitting idle. They don’t know where to utilize their scientific knowledge. Scientists/science literate people are seriously disadvantaged and neglected in the country. Scientific activities have been captured by the non-scientists and false scientists. As a result we have been thrown away from the main street to the drain.

We are lucky - our education minister is a scientifically literate person and SCIENTIST according to his educational background and the definition of a scientist. He can easily identify the gaps and lacks in scientific activities. There are thousands of dedicated and well educated persons with scientific knowledge and experience. They want to utilize their expertise and money for the national, regional and local development in scientific fields. They need a congenial environment and recognition of their works.

Instead of searching foreign aids, it is better to empower young generation with science and technology utilizing national resources. Neither money nor power alone can develop a scientific nation. The national scientific human resources must be given respects if scientific development is expected nation wide.

Recognition of the Scientifically Important Persons (SIP) must work like the magic tool. Everybody needs inspiration, recognition and recommendation for doing the social work. Recognizing the national SIP will cost nothing from the government, but they will buy or achieve unlimited supports and respects from the people particulary who are linked with science and who like science. 

 It is also learnt from his speech that the government is going to take initiative to observe a science education week across the country to encourage the students in science. He has advised the teachers to make their classes interesting so that students would understand science related issues easily. It will also prove a very fruitful initiative if rural schools and colleges given opportunities to show their efficiencies and share experience in the event.  

There is no alternative to improving quality of education to make the new generation competent citizens of the country – it is absolutely right. In doing so, the new generation must be given opportunities to know where they are and what resources they possess. The educational curriculum at different levels from primary to tertiary must be designed based on our national resources and in context of Bangladesh. Maintaining the standard of education must be given priority as advised by the education minister.

The minister hopes the present National Education Policy will help bring a qualitative change in education sector and he said, “We should expand ICT related education for all students”. This is surely the expectation of all academics like the author of this article.

In case of expansion of ICT related education, my suggestion is to take initiative from the remote levels. Though we are dependent on imported technologies in the communication sectors and other scientific areas, we can start using the schools in remote villages as the platforms. The children in remote areas become technologically literate in traditional and cultural ways. They may be called “the traditional science and technology literate human resources”. They pick up modern science and technology knowledge and vocational trade subjects very quickly and they enjoy science learning that the present government wants to establish. The recent SSC result of 100% success has proved the statement of the author. This is the output of 15 years of research on children of a remote village where a primary, secondary and vocational schools worked as the platform to prove the statement.

Refocusing Higher Education in Bangladesh

Universities in Bangladesh need to refocus their concept of teaching and learning. The Problem-based or project based approach to teaching and learning has become crucial as against former way of trying to pump knowledge and skills into learners from the lecturer's old notes and materials. University students should be encouraged to discover information by themselves with the lecturers as the facilitator. The information to be discovered should aim at solving real life societal problems and must add up to the students’ knowledge. Doing so would encourage creative thinking and innovation among the learners and at the same time address workplace challenges and aim at solving problems. This approach is working very well in most Universities of the world that have adopted the system, but this is not happening in Bangladesh.

For the new generation we need at least one sound and sustainable University in the country. In addition to economy, infrastructure, leadership and dedicated staff members, there is a great need for basic educational competence among the professors and other teaching staff. Not only theories, but practical expertise using technology, media and communication is also very important.

The main problem so far identified in both the public and private universities is the management and governance which prevents any possibility of institutionalization or re-organization. There is an urgent need to approach transformation to modern systems at different levels such as the top (management), in the middle (educators) and the bottom (learners). In the universities, constant supply of Electricity, Connectivity and Access to information must get top priorities. In addition to that an Effective University Leadership is urgently needed at the present crisis when both the management and governance are going to lose their moralities. We should focus on the future we dream of, rather than try to analyse the problems we have. It is true that there is a fundamental problem within the leadership of most Universities but this is nothing but lack of knowledge on how to transform their universities to the next level. This is not a very difficult task to overcome. The chairman or head of the respective department knows the lacks in her/his department. He can play very important role to shape his department. Connecting them all together will bring tremendous result to the academic atmosphere of the university.

At the present situation of higher education in Bangladesh, the effective steps should be taken for its development based on the following issues. Capacity development: Senior academics have earned knowledge and experience and they don't need to prove their academic credentials to anyone so they have more time and energy to focus on improving teaching. Young academics have some familiarity with a range of technologies but often face immense pressures because they want to teach lots of new things that are emerging out every day. They try to spend time to improving their courses.

What is the Vision of Universities for the next generation in Bangladesh? How the universities for new generation will look like? We would like to see all the universities in Bangladesh as places for real learning and real research, where innovative ideas will emerge giving birth to cutting edge solutions to national problems. University will be a platform where academics from other universities all over the world would love to collaborate with, visit and exchange ideas, knowledge and skills with their colleagues in Bangladesh. There will not be any kind of strike action by lecturers, non academic staff or students over dissatisfying working conditions. It is expected to be a place where ground breaking research ideas would have emerged in the areas of energy, environment, science, technology, education, agriculture and community developments. The best brains that left the country for lack of opportunities will come back and join the universities in Bangladesh where prosperity, good education, good governance, tolerance of one another will be the main attraction. 

The University will no longer be confined to a given geographical area but it will be like a place, forum, centre, club or institution where those who share a love for learning come together to utilize resources and share experiences.  The University education will be an opportunity and not an obligation. There is no end to it even if one is already qualified or educated. Despite all this, the University shall be committed to excellence in study, teaching, research and management. It will provide academic freedom for researchers and teachers as well as equal opportunity in education and employment. The University should be efficient in use of resources and strive to provide universal access to education. The University should aspire to promote intellectual and social development as well.

Minerals concerning disasters to science poor nations

Beijing based Titanium Company has collected an article written on utilization of mineral resources of Bangladesh. The article was published recently in a national daily. Chinese Company has explained the reasons of their interests in solid minerals that are available in huge quantities in the forms of compounds like Rutile, Ilmenite, Zircon etc. at different locations of Bangladesh. The email has described the most recent effective developments in areas of applications of Titanium all over the world.                                                          

For the past several centuries, the modern world has been organized around the natural resources, such as land, fossil fuels, minerals and heavy industry. But the most valuable resource of the 21^st century is the scientific knowledge along with the educated and well trained people who can take advantage of that knowledge said Bruce Alberts, President of the National Academy of Science, Washington, DC in last World Science Conference. He said physical resources are inherently limited in the world but knowledge is unlimited and that can be reproduced at virtually no cost.

Here is the bright example of a national disaster created mostly due to lack of science knowledge and conflicting attitudes of the citizens of the concerned country:

In the 21st century some of the elegant symbols of modernity like smart phones, laptops and digital cameras are built from minerals available in the scientifically knowledge poor country like Congo in the central Africa: A report has recently been published in the New York Times on Mineral Wars in Congo and the reporter has mentioned that he has never reported on a war more barbaric than Congo’s. He has seen the women who have been mutilated, the children who have been forced to eat their parents’ flesh and the girls who have been subjected to rapes that destroyed their insides. But the Warlords meet expenses of war in part through the sale of mineral ores containing tantalum, tungsten, tin and gold. Tantalum collected from Congo is used to make electrical capacitors that go into phones, computers and gaming devices. Electronics manufacturers have tried to hide this secrecy and they want the people should look at their nice products and enjoy.

Fortunately, there’s now a grass-roots movement pressuring companies to keep conflict minerals out of high-tech supply chains. Using Facebook and YouTube, the activists are harassing companies like Apple, Intel and Research in Motion to get them to lean on their suppliers and ensure the use of Australian tantalum rather than tantalum peddled by the Congolese militia. The war had claimed 5.4 million deaths as of April 2007, according to a study by the International Rescue Committee.

What is next? Is there a magic-bullet solution to peace in Congo? ---   This is one of the drivers of the conflict in the central African country Congo. Some suggest the economics of the war should be addressed to resolve it. The Obama administration can play an active role putting more pressure on Rwanda to play a constructive role. Impeding trade in the conflict minerals is also a cause of the Congo puzzle, and because of public pressure, a group of companies led by Intel and Motorola is now developing a process to audit the origins of Tantalum in supply chains. This is undoubtedly a positive signal for Congo.

The other good news is ---the grass-roots movement is bringing some positive impacts. Some big companies are convinced to buy conflict free minerals Tantalum and Titanium. The two minerals have similarities in names and both are solid minerals. Tantalum is found in Congo, Africa but Titanium is available in Bangladesh, Asia.

Bangladesh is rich in natural as well as mineral resources like Gas, Zircon, Garnet etc. They are our national but God gifted resources. We want to utilize them fully using own strategies. We don’t want to be exploited by others and we must not be recognized as the citizens of a conflicting country like Congo. We have experience and we have expertise

Some of the world’s most brutal militias may be undercut simply by making it clear to electronics manufacturers that we don’t want our beloved gadgets to enrich the gunmen. No phone or tablet computer can be considered effective if it may be helping perpetuate one of the most brutal wars on the planet. This is a good lesson for all living in the planet.

Now we can come to the conclusion that the fruits of science and technology have not significantly benefited the majority of human beings living in the Third World. This type of asymmetry in distribution of wealth, safety and comfort has increased in recent times. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is also bringing new risks affecting not only fundamental individual rights such as right to privacy, but also the safety of trade and national security itself in the face of a growing potential for war: the cyber war.

We must ensure that scientists everywhere on the planet are able to contribute effectively to solve problems that will require all of the efforts we can muster. Let adjust ourselves in that way to utilize our national minerals as the best source of peace, not conflict.

Importance of Transport Technology

Walking along the street of Dhaka city is a very risky and difficult task particularly for the children and elderly people. The condition was not so bad even ten years back. There are lots of reasons behind for coming to this position. But the most important of all is the over-looking of transport technology. It is claimed by the global people that we are now living in a civilized world. We will have to follow the rest of the world people if we want to claim ourselves as the global citizens or even human beings. 

Technology is changing the planet at the breathing speed. The transport technology is also not remaining far behind. We observe almost everyday the new modeled transport vehicles are coming to the city but the roads and the transport technology knowledge are not developing in that speed. Who are driving those costly cars and heavy vehicles?

The reality is -- a larger percentage of drivers are totally illiterate. But the new vehicles are coming with modern technology parts and components. Most of the new vehicles are electronically controlled and equipped with computerized systems that need the skilled operators/drivers. To become an efficient driver of the present world, the person should have driving as well as technical skills. The cars or other vehicles are not manufactured here. We are just importing the large and small vehicles that are designed in context of the respective countries. It is very important to note that we are importing not only the luxury cars but the serious troubles as well at the cost of huge foreign currencies. The troubles are due to the lack of awareness of operation. Each new model car has its own maintenance strategies. Who cares for that?

Driving and maintenance are very closely related activities. The combination of both the skills gives unique results. In order to develop skills in both sides, the person needs to be educated with basic transport technology knowledge. Safe driving is not an easy task. An educated driver tries to remain in safe side using his talent, skill and knowledge. But the drug addicted illiterate driver does not care for anything. If a survey is conducted, we find that most accidents are the results of illiteracy and arrogance of the drivers in the society.

One of the best solutions to overcome this culture of killing the innocent people is to train the drivers on basic transport technology. The courses of training on transport technology must be based on Bangladesh context including the cultures and climate.

We believe it is our national needs and not my personal interest. The solution at this stage is not that difficult. Just to look on broader scales by some people might bring the desired success for the nation. Education must be given top priority in achieving goals.

The courses of transport technology, satellite technology and community radios should be immediately included in the under graduate courses of the private and public universities that offer science and technology courses. The number of accidents will surely diminish with the increase of number of persons with transport technology knowledge and skills.

Utilization of National Resources of Bangladesh

Hakikur Rahman has raised an important issue concerning the increase of the price of natural gas in his write up in the Bytesforall. Natural gas is our national mineral resource and it is one of the best gifts of God. Not only the natural gas, there are other mineral resources like Zircon, Ilmenite, Rutile, Garnet etc. in the country. Almighty Allah has bestowed upon us huge natural resources that make others jealous. HE has given us the knowledge to utilize them in right ways.

The world is now divided into two parts; they are the haves and the have-nots. We are in the first group. We have every thing but we are not utilizing our knowledge in the right ways. We should focus our eyes in the right direction. We should know the technology to utilize our valuable resources fully for national development. There is no magic tool to make a nation rich in the twinkle of an eye. The country men need to make it happen. The best way is to utilize resources in the right and intelligent way. Any nation or country that practices the formula becomes rich and the rest who are not able to do so remain poor.

It is written in many geological survey books that a country or a nation can no longer remain poor if it has even only one mineral resource and he can utilize the resource tactfully and intelligently. We have not only one; we have several mineral resources. Still we are poor. Who is responsible for that? The answer is known to many of us. We have shut down our mouth and we have promised we will tolerate everything silently. That is the main problem and the barrier in national development.

Increasing the prices of natural (God gifted) gas is not a very difficult task. Just the concerned authority will serve a notice mentioning that the price of natural gas will be double from the morning of Sunday or Monday and we will follow the instructions like the good boys in the class room. We will never ask why we are increasing the prices of the God gifted resource. Is it justified? Can't we control the misuse of gas as mentioned by Hakikur Rahman? Which one is important? – to stop misuse or to increase prices?  The answer is -- the one that is comfortable and related to exercise of power. This type of practice is going on from long time. Like many developing countries, the Government also changes here and the new faces come in power but the system remains the same.

This is the time to realize that the global citizens are moving in the speed of light. We are the citizens of an independent country that we won in 1971 through a historic liberation movement. We have a glorious history of liberation, we have unlimited natural including mineral resources and we have very talented human resources. We are capable enough to utilize our own resources. Some of our respected scientists have recently given the proof of my statement through a joint and collaborative research on our natural resource jute which is known as the golden fiber of Bangladesh. Time has come to utilize our brain in right direction in right purposes. Thanks everybody for giving their valuable time.

Science around us

Everyday once or twice, the driver goes to the CNG stations to fill up the cylinder of my private car. Surprisingly, it is observed he avoids some CNG filling stations though the stations are nearer to my residence. When he was asked the reasons of avoiding those stations, he replied the gases in those stations are not good. His statements raised my curiosity about the CNG stations and asked the other drivers serving the same building. They replied almost in the same language. After lots of questions and answers, it came out that those filling stations provide gas along with air. As a result, the vehicle runs less distance with the gas filled from those stations in comparison to the good ones, though the amount charged are same. The transport drivers in our country are not scientifically literate and they are not supposed to know scientific formulas or rules and regulations. But there are many owners of private cars and other transport vehicles in the city who are scientifically literate, qualified and experienced. They might have heard this type of complains from their drivers too. Without sufficient proof, no body should be blamed and that is also not my purpose of writing this article. As an academic scientist and science connect ambassador (United Nations University), I should not remain far from scientific complexities or scientific ignorance that causes disasters or accidents every day.

It is my assumption that at least five million people who have passed higher secondary with physics or obtained diploma in science trades are aware of laws of gas particularly the Charles’s and Boyle’s laws. The scientifically literate persons must agree that those laws are applied to the CNG filling stations not only in Bangladesh but all over the world. According to Charles’s law, pressure remaining constant, the volume of a given mass of gas increases or decreases by the same factor as absolute temperature (i.e. gas expands as temperature increases) and the Boyle’s law states for a fixed amount of gas kept at a fixed temperature, pressure (P) and Volume (V) are inversely proportional (that means while one increases, the other decreases). From the description it is clear that there are lots of scopes to cheat the customers in a society where most people with scientific skills and knowledge remain silent in all respects. To overcome this type of problems, not only the government but scientifically conscious citizens should come up and take responsibilities. Gas is an important national mineral no doubt but a CNG station can create disaster in the region at any moment if handled carelessly and inefficiently. The whole system is based on science and technology. As such a scientific environment including strong protection arrangement must be maintained in the stations and its surrounding areas for the national and social safeties.
Normally the drivers in our country are illiterate or poorly literate. They don’t understand the scientific laws but they are given the most dangerous responsibilities, even more than a justice who gives physical punishment to the culprits or hang them on specific ground. But the drivers kill the innocent people due mainly to personal and social ignorance. But they are not severely punished like the other killers of human beings.

It is observed that most of the accidents occur due to scientific ignorance of the drivers of the heavy vehicles like the loaded trucks or bus. When a man or a woman fall in front of a speedy truck, according to Newton’s laws of motion, the momentum MV (product of mass M and velocity V) of the moving vehicle become very large. In the circumstances, it becomes impossible for the driver to stop the heavy vehicle immediately on the spot. In most of such cases the driver fails to stop the vehicle in one or two meters distance. As a result, not only the man in front dies, but the passengers inside the vehicle die too. If the scientific reasons of such accidents are explained to the drivers, passengers and common people who cross the roads without care and fear, the percentage of accidents will come down to a significant number. The authority concerned may show interest on the issue.

Bottom-up Transparency for Ensuring Accountability

Ensuring accountability to the citizens is the prime responsibility of the government of an independent country if they want to be democratic. Bangladesh is an independent country but it has to go a long way to become fully democratic and to ensure accountability to the people particularly remote people who had cast vote for forming the government. In order to do that the government in power will need to change traditional systems and adopt the timely new strategies. Accountability needs "bottom-up transparency" – suggested by the strategic researchers in an international event held recently in USA. Many governments in developing countries do not have the capacity for gathering data that they could then publish for the citizens to hold them accountable. Just supporting government capacity may not be the only and not even the most efficient solution: The citizens also have many responsibilities and they can provide information on water, health, and education. Mobile phones can be used in the regions where Internet is not prevalent. The information that is needed to hold the government accountable should be gathered bottom-up, by those that eventually use it to hold government accountable. The present situation shows not only the government's inability to provide access to information, but also their unwillingness.

Information needs to be organized. Let us suppose we are looking for information on a specific topic like donor's spending on health interventions in the country. If we google the relevant search terms – we will get a long list of results. Hundreds of websites in the globe provide snippets of information, and not only does so, every donor organization has its own website and every single project also has individual websites. The single project uses different terminology, and it has its data in different formats. All those information can be collected at the cost of huge money and time. But people need central information source, some sort of data gateway that organizes the relevant information and puts it all into one place. It is not feasible for the citizens to dig their way through the data chaos to finally get a more or less comprehensive picture of what is going on, which can then be the basis for holding public officials accountable. The NGOs and the donor organizations working in a given region on similar topics could collaborate on providing information gateways for the sake of enabling citizens to demand the better quality public services.

Information needs context. Providing highly technical data on its own is unlikely to help citizens with anything. In order for people to understand information on the government services, the information needs to be put into context. Accountability is only effective if the citizens have means to enforce their demands on the state. Information alone will not guarantee accountability. Citizens need mechanisms that allow them to not only assess the quality of public services, but to also do something about deficiencies.

Accountability needs a Community of Practice. It's not a big science like rocket science that it's not efficient if a lot of people work on the same issues without talking to each other. A community of practice for accountability is needed not only to focus efforts to strengthen citizens, but also to provide the organization of information and the context for it. There is a mountain of expertise here and there. We would all benefit from exchange.

Accountability needs multiple platforms. Putting all the data on the Internet, even if it is on a central gateway, will still exclude most of those that really need the information. The digital divide is a fact and it does not seem likely that broadband will pervade Bangladesh any time soon - maybe it never will. That brings other ICT on the stage, mobile phones. But accountability needs a multi-platform approach: Access to information needs to be provided through all relevant communication channels. That may include Internet, mobile phones, community radio recently licensed in Bangladesh and the local priests.

Negligence in Science Creates Disasters

From the latest report received from the electronic media at 9 PM today (June 4, 2010), we came to know that the total number of deaths is 117 and the injured are above 200, many being seriously injured. It is a huge and unprecedented disaster caused mainly due to negligence of scientific rules and regulations. As shown in the broadcasting electronic media, there were huge chemicals in the ground floor of the building and also a defective step-down transformer. Now the common question is “How and why it happened”? The citizens of a democratic country have every right to ask the questions. Who is responsible for answering the questions? That’s also important.

The purpose of writing this article is not to blame any body but to raise the issue to the conscious citizens of the country and let them know how efficiently and effectively, this type of disasters could be avoided. At the age of science and technology we cannot move even one step without electricity and the chemicals are also important as our daily needs.

Electricity and chemicals are two scientific terms. Chemicals are visible in many forms and colors but electricity is not visible. Chemicals are the contents of Chemistry and electricity is the content of Physics. Chemistry and Physics are two science subjects taught in schools, colleges and universities. School students are given basic ideas. The advanced courses on the subjects are taught in higher classes. There are lacs of students and citizens in the country with basic and advanced knowledge in electricity generation and proper use of chemicals. Many with Ph.D degrees are helpless and they don’t have scopes to utilize their expertise in the national needs related to science and technology.

In teaching chemistry, the physical and chemical properties of the compounds are taught. When the chemicals are imported from foreign countries, the physical characteristics and properties are clearly written on the packet or on top of the boxes with some red warnings such as to keep away from fire – “Highly Flame-able”. Or keep them at temperature below thirty degree Celsius. The problems in the country are – who cares for the warnings or the rules and regulations? As per reports from different corners, chemicals business in the country has proved to be one of the easiest ways of making money in the shortest time. Because of its uncontrolled use in various ways such as acid throw, eye ointments, fish and fruits poisoning, the concerned people make money quickly selling their conscience. The citizens whatever be their background, may be a chemist or a university teacher have very little importance in the social activities. Regarding electricity supply, citizens know almost nothing till a disaster like this one happens in the Mahalla.      

The recent killing of a brilliant student of BUET by a bus driver indicates ignorance of the whole nation. Most of the accidents occur due to lack of scientific awareness among the drivers and the people who cross the road. The transport vehicles like bus, truck, taxi, private cars etc. are the results or outputs of scientific and technological innovations. Various kind of scientific and electronic devices have so far been invented in the world. They are mostly used for making life comfortable and reliable.

Any transport vehicle, small or big in size carries an engine and other machines. The industries and factories also use different types of engines, machines and instruments. The main difference between the two categories is; one is mobile and the other is fixed. For operating any machine, the operators need a short or a long training depending on complexities and importance of the machines and engines. Driving a car, bus or truck is riskier than running any fixed machine. A driver needs to keep his eyes, legs and hands fully active and balanced. Accident may occur any time if an organ of the driver fails to work. As such a driver should have technical knowledge about the engine and other parts of the car at least on how it works. They must have basic education. Ignorance and negligence are the main reasons of most of the accidents that we observe everyday.

Unfortunately, there are hundreds of drivers in the city who are absolutely illiterate. It is a very surprising matter how they manage to get the licenses of killing the brilliant student of BUET? Thousands of young boys with basic knowledge of science in SSC and HSC are unemployed. Many of them are educated in the vocational schools in relevant subjects and they don’t know where to sell or utilize their skills or expertise in the country. Having no information to them of such scopes, a significant number of boys with SSC vocational certificates are sold in the local markets as slaves/labors but they do not get additional amounts for their academic knowledge in Chemistry, Physics, Electricity, Electronics, Civil Construction, Building maintenance, Textile engineering and many other trades. The following example will make things clear to everybody.

Rubel was cutting paddy as a purchased slave/labor in the remote village-Arpara of Gopalgonj district while other students of his class were enjoying for unique results of 100% success in the SSC vocational examinations at Khairunnessa.Memorial Vocational School at village–Ikrail of Alfadanga in Faridpur district. He has obtained “A-grade“ in textile engineering discipline but he got the message from one of his class mates through mobile correspondence at the end of the day after finishing his day’s works. He studied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and the trade subjects of textile engineering like the ones studying at famous schools in the capital city. This time 31 students appeared at the SSC vocational examinations in civil engineering, textile engineering and the building maintenance under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) held in March 2010 and all of them succeeded with excellent result, the minimum result being A.

As soon as his board examination was over, Rubel was sold in weekly Bhatiapara bazar as a labor/slave as usual. Every Friday, he is sold to different land lords in different areas of the country. This is normal for many students of the school (not included in MPO). In every vacation, they are sold for money and they earn some amount that supports their family and education costs. Like many others, Rubel does not know what he will do with this result. What future is waiting for him? He simply finds darkness all around. When he is sold in the market, he gets the same amount and no further consideration for his academic records with excellent result.

Negligence in Science Creates Disasters

From the latest report received from the electronic media at 9 PM today (June 4, 2010), we came to know that the total number of deaths is 117 and the injured are above 200, many being seriously injured. It is a huge and unprecedented disaster caused mainly due to negligence of scientific rules and regulations. As shown in the broadcasting electronic media, there were huge chemicals in the ground floor of the building and also a defective step-down transformer. Now the common question is “How and why it happened”? The citizens of a democratic country have every right to ask the questions. Who is responsible for answering the questions? That’s also important.

The purpose of writing this article is not to blame any body but to raise the issue to the conscious citizens of the country and let them know how efficiently and effectively, this type of disasters could be avoided. At the age of science and technology we cannot move even one step without electricity and the chemicals are also important as our daily needs.

Electricity and chemicals are two scientific terms. Chemicals are visible in many forms and colors but electricity is not visible. Chemicals are the contents of Chemistry and electricity is the content of Physics. Chemistry and Physics are two science subjects taught in schools, colleges and universities. School students are given basic ideas. The advanced courses on the subjects are taught in higher classes. There are lacs of students and citizens in the country with basic and advanced knowledge in electricity generation and proper use of chemicals. Many with Ph.D degrees are helpless and they don’t have scopes to utilize their expertise in the national needs related to science and technology.

In teaching chemistry, the physical and chemical properties of the compounds are taught. When the chemicals are imported from foreign countries, the physical characteristics and properties are clearly written on the packet or on top of the boxes with some red warnings such as to keep away from fire – “Highly Flame-able”. Or keep them at temperature below thirty degree Celsius. The problems in the country are – who cares for the warnings or the rules and regulations? As per reports from different corners, chemicals business in the country has proved to be one of the easiest ways of making money in the shortest time. Because of its uncontrolled use in various ways such as acid throw, eye ointments, fish and fruits poisoning, the concerned people make money quickly selling their conscience. The citizens whatever be their background, may be a chemist or a university teacher have very little importance in the social activities. Regarding electricity supply, citizens know almost nothing till a disaster like this one happens in the Mahalla.      

The recent killing of a brilliant student of BUET by a bus driver indicates ignorance of the whole nation. Most of the accidents occur due to lack of scientific awareness among the drivers and the people who cross the road. The transport vehicles like bus, truck, taxi, private cars etc. are the results or outputs of scientific and technological innovations. Various kind of scientific and electronic devices have so far been invented in the world. They are mostly used for making life comfortable and reliable.

Any transport vehicle, small or big in size carries an engine and other machines. The industries and factories also use different types of engines, machines and instruments. The main difference between the two categories is; one is mobile and the other is fixed. For operating any machine, the operators need a short or a long training depending on complexities and importance of the machines and engines. Driving a car, bus or truck is riskier than running any fixed machine. A driver needs to keep his eyes, legs and hands fully active and balanced. Accident may occur any time if an organ of the driver fails to work. As such a driver should have technical knowledge about the engine and other parts of the car at least on how it works. They must have basic education. Ignorance and negligence are the main reasons of most of the accidents that we observe everyday.

Unfortunately, there are hundreds of drivers in the city who are absolutely illiterate. It is a very surprising matter how they manage to get the licenses of killing the brilliant student of BUET? Thousands of young boys with basic knowledge of science in SSC and HSC are unemployed. Many of them are educated in the vocational schools in relevant subjects and they don’t know where to sell or utilize their skills or expertise in the country. Having no information to them of such scopes, a significant number of boys with SSC vocational certificates are sold in the local markets as slaves/labors but they do not get additional amounts for their academic knowledge in Chemistry, Physics, Electricity, Electronics, Civil Construction, Building maintenance, Textile engineering and many other trades. The following example will make things clear to everybody.

Rubel was cutting paddy as a purchased slave/labor in the remote village-Arpara of Gopalgonj district while other students of his class were enjoying for unique results of 100% success in the SSC vocational examinations at Khairunnessa.Memorial Vocational School at village–Ikrail of Alfadanga in Faridpur district. He has obtained “A-grade“ in textile engineering discipline but he got the message from one of his class mates through mobile correspondence at the end of the day after finishing his day’s works. He studied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and the trade subjects of textile engineering like the ones studying at famous schools in the capital city. This time 31 students appeared at the SSC vocational examinations in civil engineering, textile engineering and the building maintenance under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) held in March 2010 and all of them succeeded with excellent result, the minimum result being A.

As soon as his board examination was over, Rubel was sold in weekly Bhatiapara bazar as a labor/slave as usual. Every Friday, he is sold to different land lords in different areas of the country. This is normal for many students of the school (not included in MPO). In every vacation, they are sold for money and they earn some amount that supports their family and education costs. Like many others, Rubel does not know what he will do with this result. What future is waiting for him? He simply finds darkness all around. When he is sold in the market, he gets the same amount and no further consideration for his academic records with excellent result.

MPO Review on priority of SSC results

It is learnt from a national daily that our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked her education adviser and education minister to finalize within a week the revised list of no-government secondary and higher secondary educational institutions which will be brought under monthly payment order (MPO) facilities. Undoubtedly it is good news that our respected PM has taken interest realizing the importance of the matter at the present situation of the country. The system has created a very big gap between haves and have-nots. It is like a candle of Alauddin to those who have achieved it. But to others who have failed to achieve, it is very difficult to describe their feelings.

The recently published SSC results and MPO distribution lists have made a big question on how and why. Being a founder of a technical school and a senior academic, the same questions have created in my mind too. The school that has achieved 100% success with grade -A (minimum) is not in the recent circulated list. But the lucky ones in MPO list have lot of students who failed in SSC examinations. Even if we make a comparative study or survey in only one district, say Faridpur, a clear picture of disparities come out. The studies or survey can be conducted on the following points in addition to previous criterions;  (a) Recent SSC result, (b) Profile of founder with vision (c) Scope of science and technology education (d) Remoteness (e) Competence in social reformation and (f) Capacity for adaptation of science and technology to create Digital Bangladesh

This is not a very difficult task at the present age of technology. There are thousands of students who study and do research on related subjects at universities in Bangladesh. Any university properly equipped can be given the responsibilities. If SSC and HSC results of lakhs of students can be provided confidentially and honestly, why can’t the MPO listing be done using the similar but relevant strategies? If the government fails to understand the present situation, it might bring a big problem for the nation.  

SSC student sold in weekly market

Rubel was cutting paddy as a day labor in a remote village in Gopalgonj while other students of his class were enjoying for unique results of 100% success in the SSC vocational examinations at K.M.Vocational school. Rubel has obtained “A“ in textile engineering but he learnt it from one of his class mates through mobile correspondence after a long time.. Just after the examination was over, Rubel was sold in the Friday market as day labor as usual. Every Friday, he is sold to different land lords in different areas of the country. This is normal for a significant number of students in the school. In every vacation, they are sold for money and they earn some amount that supports their family and their education costs. Like many others, Rubel does not know what he will do with this result. When he is sold in the market, he gets the same amount.

This is the real picture of technical education in the remote villages of Bangladesh. The school where he studied was established in 2000. Since then it is doing remarkable result in the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) examinations but the school is not included in MPO list, not even in last circulated list. The list of the 100% successful schools has been published but the name of the K.M. Vocational school is not there. Can any body give any satisfactory answer to the reasons of this irrelevance for the poor citizens of the country?