Daily Star Campus
Sunday 10 May 2009
Lead Article:
Asrar Chowdhury's Piece on Mother's Day
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/05/02/camspotlight.htm
***
This story is the story of all Mothers. May the Heavens Bless all Mothers. Happy Mother's Day.
***
“Half of what I say is meaningless
But I say it just to reach you”
- John Lennon for his Mother, Julia Lennon, 1968
It was Saturday, the 17th day of February 2007. The Muezzin had just called the faithful for the Asr prayers. The sun shone mildly through the window of the ambulance. The road from the hospital to our house was free. It took less than five minutes to reach home. Within this time I saw my whole life flash before my eyes.
I am a caesarean baby. In those days the mother had to go through a general anaesthesia. Soon after my birth, Amma had a very high fever that almost took her life. She won the battle. I will live all my life with the guilt that I was responsible for that high fever and the ensuing physical pains Amma suffered for the rest of her life. In my teens I once tried to say sorry. Amma put her finger to my lips. “At least I have you and your sister”.
I am Amma's first born. And I was very much spoiled. Every time I did a mischief, I knew it was Amma who would be the oasis in the desert, my 'shelter from the storm' to protect me from Abba. The condition for amnesty was simple. Always have the courage to admit to what you are doing. This has remained with me all my life. I may be a good storyteller, but I am a terrible liar!
Soon after my sister was born, Amma gave up her career. My wife did the same many years later for our daughter, Annapurna. It is only now that I appreciate how powerful a mother can be. We men can acknowledge only, but cannot replicate the sacrifice a mother can make for her children and family. Amma was one notch ahead. For the entire time my father studied in Wales, UK, Amma was the breadwinner of our family. Throughout the week, my sister and I would wake up not seeing Amma. Abba would wake us up. Prepare breakfast and walk us to school. And bring us back home again. Abba would prepare food and we would eat and watch playschool and all those other children's programmes on good old BBC.
Pandemonium would break loose the moment the bell rang. My sister and I would run to open the door and see who could touch Amma first. I would run to grab a smell of Amma from her blue raincoat. And without failure, Amma would have sweets for us. Mars bar, Snickers, a box of Smarties, Quality Streets and what not would be the toast of the afternoon snacks. Many years later my sister and I found out Amma would sometimes forsake her tea and biscuits to buy our chocolates!
After we returned to Bangladesh, life went on like any other family. Amma was now at home most of the times. Abba was busy at the university with his career that took him from one echelon to the next. My sister and I slowly passed each grade at school, college and finally university. Our golden time as a single unit in Aberystwyth, UK, was 'gone with the wind' forever!
'Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans'. It was not until the next generation came along that I finally found time for Amma again. Ankoor, my sister's son, and Annapurna, my daughter, filled up our house marking the dawn of a new beginning. Ankoor and Annapurna became the centre of Amma's universe. The apples of her two eyes. Alas! 'To make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from'!
The first day of January 2007 was Qurbani Eid. The following day was Annapurna's first birthday. We put off the birthday party till 26th January. Amma really wanted to see the first birthday of her Apun just as much as the first birthday party of her Bhaiyun a few years earlier. A few days before the birthday party, Annapurna was playing on Amma's bed. Amma looked at Annapurna and smiled saying “I don't have the good fortune to see this child grow up”. I laughed.
We always saw Amma fight one sickness after another with her energetic laughter that was the hallmark of our house.
On 30th January Amma went to a hospital for a routine check up. The day was 3rd February. The doctors advised her not to talk. She was having breathing problems. She was wearing an oxygen mask. Amma took off her mask when I entered and asked me what Annapurna doing. She then told me to take care of Abba and Annapurna and put her mask back on. We exchanged glances. Amma was smiling as if she was at peace. Amma called me. I went. She took my hand and kissed it with her oxygen mask on. And then she took her mask off and said with a smiling invitation. “I've kissed you. I have nothing more to ask. I got everything I could have ever asked for”. YES. I, Amma's first born, was the fortunate one to have received Amma's final blessings. I, who came to this world and was almost responsible for Amma's death!
The hospital never called us when they put Amma on a ventilator the next day. We never got to know what Amma's final wishes were. Fortunately, Aziza Chachi knew. My sister and Ankoor were lucky to find Amma still breathing when they came from Canada. By the morning of 17th February it was evident Amma's fight with septicaemia and acute respiratory distress syndrome was nearing its end. At 3:30pm, Abba and I went to the hospital. I sensed there was not much time left. I approached Amma's bed. Amma was in a coma. It was now or never to say what I always wanted to all my life.
“Amma, it's been more than a pleasure having you in our midst. In the last two weeks because of you we've realised how much people love us. Amma, I don't know if you'll hear all this. From this moment our fates are sealed. You've entered our hearts forever”. Less than five minutes later, Amma was no longer 'living in the material world'. Her Spirit and Soul went to a much better place.
***
An old lady once came to Lord Buddha. Her grandchild had died. She wanted Lord Buddha to bring the child back to life. The Buddha asked the lady to take some sand in her hand and bring back fire from a house that had not experienced death. The old lady never returned. Death is the only inevitability in life. But then. People do live on after their deaths. They live in the Spirit of their Souls. “Half of what [I’ve said was] meaningless, but I [said] it just to reach you [Benu]”. To reach for your pure Soul.
Happy Mother’s Day. May the Heavens Bless All Mothers!
***
Disclaimer:
1. The last paragraph and the initial quotes are not in the print edition.
2. Facebook has a limit of tagging 30 persons per note. Sorry if your name is not in this note.
Asrar Chowdhury
Showing posts with label Campus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Campus. Show all posts
Saturday, April 30, 2011
DS Campus: 3 May 09: Me at the Star Literary Adda: Kite Runner
Daily Star Campus
Sunday 3 May 2009
Feature:
Asrar Chowdhury at the Star Literary Adda
By Tanzina Rahman
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/05/01/feature_adda.htm
“The ending of the book moved me,” Ilona expressed. “The author gave a chance to the leading character for redemption,” she added.
“For me, I kept on comparing the Middle Eastern culture with Bangladeshi culture. I could relate to the relationship between the father and son…,” Priyanka said.
“But I think the writer could have made the father and son relationship much stronger in the book,” Rassen interrupted.
The intense discussion raged on. This week, Star Campus invited students from various private and public universities to attend the 'Literary Adda' which was held at Coffee World in Dhanmondi. Asrar Chowdhury, Assistant Professor, Economics, Jahangirnagar and North South University talked about the 2005 best-seller and debut book of Khaled Husseni 'The Kite Runner'.
“Star Campus took an excellent approach to initiate reading habits among the youngsters and when I was asked to pick up a book for this week's adda, I thought The Kite Runner would be the best choice to talk about the Middle Eastern countries and their culture rather than talking about the west,” Chowdhury explained.
He familiarized the author to the students before unveiling the plot of the book. Khaled Hosseni, who is originally from Afghanistan, is an American novelist and physician. In his debut book, Hosseni has successfully depicted the life of true Afghanistan before the fall of the monarchy until the collapse of the Taliban regime.
“One cannot envisage the vivid picture of pomegranates and sky full of colourful kites without reading this book since we have only seen the picture of the current situation in Afghanistan,” Chowdhury said.
The Kite Runner depicts the tale of childhood betrayal, ethnic tension and sexual predation in Afghanistan.
"The story is broken into three parts. First the author introduces the readers to the cheerful childhood of Amir, the leading character who is a bourgeois Pashtun boy, and his friend Hassan, a Hazara and the son of Ali, the servant of Amir's father. Then the second part tells about Amir and his father taking political asylum to America while the third part reveals Amir's attempts at redemption back in Afghanistan," he said.
He also introduced the students with the differences of tribune culture and customs of the Afghani people.
“One of the interesting things that I found in the book was that there are many Farsi words that we take for granted. For instance, the word kaka which is referred to uncle and khala as aunty, are actually originated from Farsi that I always thought were Bengali words,” he chuckled.
Some of the students, who read the novel, brought new insights to the table.
“The Cultural Ministry of Afghanistan actually banned importing 'The Kite Runner' movie that came out in 2007 due to the portrayal of sexual predation in Afghanistan," said one of the students.
Star Campus Literary Adda ended with an eager interest among the students to look forward to the next adda session.
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
Sunday 3 May 2009
Feature:
Asrar Chowdhury at the Star Literary Adda
By Tanzina Rahman
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/05/01/feature_adda.htm
“The ending of the book moved me,” Ilona expressed. “The author gave a chance to the leading character for redemption,” she added.
“For me, I kept on comparing the Middle Eastern culture with Bangladeshi culture. I could relate to the relationship between the father and son…,” Priyanka said.
“But I think the writer could have made the father and son relationship much stronger in the book,” Rassen interrupted.
The intense discussion raged on. This week, Star Campus invited students from various private and public universities to attend the 'Literary Adda' which was held at Coffee World in Dhanmondi. Asrar Chowdhury, Assistant Professor, Economics, Jahangirnagar and North South University talked about the 2005 best-seller and debut book of Khaled Husseni 'The Kite Runner'.
“Star Campus took an excellent approach to initiate reading habits among the youngsters and when I was asked to pick up a book for this week's adda, I thought The Kite Runner would be the best choice to talk about the Middle Eastern countries and their culture rather than talking about the west,” Chowdhury explained.
He familiarized the author to the students before unveiling the plot of the book. Khaled Hosseni, who is originally from Afghanistan, is an American novelist and physician. In his debut book, Hosseni has successfully depicted the life of true Afghanistan before the fall of the monarchy until the collapse of the Taliban regime.
“One cannot envisage the vivid picture of pomegranates and sky full of colourful kites without reading this book since we have only seen the picture of the current situation in Afghanistan,” Chowdhury said.
The Kite Runner depicts the tale of childhood betrayal, ethnic tension and sexual predation in Afghanistan.
"The story is broken into three parts. First the author introduces the readers to the cheerful childhood of Amir, the leading character who is a bourgeois Pashtun boy, and his friend Hassan, a Hazara and the son of Ali, the servant of Amir's father. Then the second part tells about Amir and his father taking political asylum to America while the third part reveals Amir's attempts at redemption back in Afghanistan," he said.
He also introduced the students with the differences of tribune culture and customs of the Afghani people.
“One of the interesting things that I found in the book was that there are many Farsi words that we take for granted. For instance, the word kaka which is referred to uncle and khala as aunty, are actually originated from Farsi that I always thought were Bengali words,” he chuckled.
Some of the students, who read the novel, brought new insights to the table.
“The Cultural Ministry of Afghanistan actually banned importing 'The Kite Runner' movie that came out in 2007 due to the portrayal of sexual predation in Afghanistan," said one of the students.
Star Campus Literary Adda ended with an eager interest among the students to look forward to the next adda session.
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
DS Campus: 19 Apr 09: Rangpur University Launched
Daily Star Campus
Rangpur University Launched
Asrar Chowdhury
Sunday 19 April 2009
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/04/03/feature_RANGPUR.htm
RANGPUR is the cultural capital of North Bengal. It is the home of the Bhatiyali and Bhawaiya folk songs. Rangpur has produced Begum Rokeya, a pioneer and exemplary figure in the education of women of this country. In spite of all this, Rangpur never had a University to nurture and take forward the rich cultural heritage it has enjoyed over the Centuries. Only very recently did that dream come true.
In 2001, the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina laid the foundations of Rangpur University of Science and Technology. However, later on the establishment was cancelled. It was not until August 2007 when Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government, agreed in principle to establish a full fledged university in Rangpur. Professor M Lutfar Rahman was appointed the first Vice Chancellor on 20 October 2008. Two days later Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, the then Education and Commerce Advisor to the Caretaker Government formally inaugurated Rangpur University. Professor M Alauddin Mia was appointed Registrar later. The short term objective of Rangpur University is to create an academic institute that serves the needs of Northern Bangladesh. The long term objective is to establish the university as a centre of learning par excellence. The university seeks to attract students from all strata of the society. The Campus of Rangpur University is situated to the East of the Carmichael College on 75 acres of land. At the moment, the University is functioning in two buildings of the Rangpur Teachers' Training Institute at Dhap. The authority expects to move to the permanent Campus in two years.
The university started with two faculties and six departments. The Departments of Bangla, English, Economics, and Business Administration are under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The Departments of Mathematics, and Computer Science and Engineering are under the Faculty of Science and Technology. 18,000+ students applied for 300 seats in the first admission test that was held in November 2008. Fifty seats were allotted for each of the six departments.
Rangpur University was formally inaugurated on Saturday 28 March 2009. The Education, Social Development and Political Advisor to the Prime Minister, Professor Alauddin Ahmed inaugurated the programme as the Chief Guest. Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman of University Grants Commission, was the Special Guest. Professor M Lutfar Rahman, Vice Chancellor of Rangpur University, chaired the programme.
Members of the civil society of Rangpur by now have raised approximately Tk 10 Lakh to establish a scholarship for female students after the name of Begum Rokeya. During the inaugural ceremony, Parliament Members who spoke also declared donations and scholarship and RDRS promised to support the education of a good number of students. Professor Alauddin Ahmed, Advisor to the Prime Minister also announced a yearly grant of Tk 25,000, while Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman of the University Grants Commission contributed a month's salary to the fund. Professor Rezaul Huq, Convenor of Rangpur University Implementation Committee earlier declared that after his death, his personal library will be gifted to Rangpur University.
The inaugural ceremony was divided into three parts. Professor M Lutfar Rahman gave the inaugural speech of the Inaugural Session. Dr M Najmul Huq of Bangla Department, Rangpur University; Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury, Syndicate Member; Professor KM Elahi, Syndicate Member; Chowdhury Khalequzzaman of Rangpur University Support Foundation; AKM Abdur Rouf Manik, Mayor of Rangpur Pourashabha; Anisul Islam Mondal, MP; Abul Kalam Azad, MP; and Abul Mansur Ahmed, Convenor Rangpur District, Awami League were among the speakers in the First Session. Professor Nazrul Islam and Professor Alauddin Ahmed gave their speeches as the Special and Chief Guests respectively. The Second Session included a series of speeches. Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury talked about university education and society. The next speaker was Rangpur's favourite son, Anisul Huq, a leading litterateur, who talked on the influence of North Bengal in the culture and heritage of Bangladesh. Ms Anwara Haider of HASAB spoke on drugs and AIDS. The Third Session included a cultural programme. The cultural programme included dance and songs. Keeping true to the roots of Rangpur the cultural programme did not forget to include Bhatiyali and Bhawaiya songs. The newly admitted students also participated as well as a leading local musical group.
As a beginning it is very pleasing to know that the name of Rangpur University will soon officially become Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur. The choice could not have been more apt.
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
Rangpur University Launched
Asrar Chowdhury
Sunday 19 April 2009
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/04/03/feature_RANGPUR.htm
RANGPUR is the cultural capital of North Bengal. It is the home of the Bhatiyali and Bhawaiya folk songs. Rangpur has produced Begum Rokeya, a pioneer and exemplary figure in the education of women of this country. In spite of all this, Rangpur never had a University to nurture and take forward the rich cultural heritage it has enjoyed over the Centuries. Only very recently did that dream come true.
In 2001, the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina laid the foundations of Rangpur University of Science and Technology. However, later on the establishment was cancelled. It was not until August 2007 when Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government, agreed in principle to establish a full fledged university in Rangpur. Professor M Lutfar Rahman was appointed the first Vice Chancellor on 20 October 2008. Two days later Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, the then Education and Commerce Advisor to the Caretaker Government formally inaugurated Rangpur University. Professor M Alauddin Mia was appointed Registrar later. The short term objective of Rangpur University is to create an academic institute that serves the needs of Northern Bangladesh. The long term objective is to establish the university as a centre of learning par excellence. The university seeks to attract students from all strata of the society. The Campus of Rangpur University is situated to the East of the Carmichael College on 75 acres of land. At the moment, the University is functioning in two buildings of the Rangpur Teachers' Training Institute at Dhap. The authority expects to move to the permanent Campus in two years.
The university started with two faculties and six departments. The Departments of Bangla, English, Economics, and Business Administration are under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The Departments of Mathematics, and Computer Science and Engineering are under the Faculty of Science and Technology. 18,000+ students applied for 300 seats in the first admission test that was held in November 2008. Fifty seats were allotted for each of the six departments.
Rangpur University was formally inaugurated on Saturday 28 March 2009. The Education, Social Development and Political Advisor to the Prime Minister, Professor Alauddin Ahmed inaugurated the programme as the Chief Guest. Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman of University Grants Commission, was the Special Guest. Professor M Lutfar Rahman, Vice Chancellor of Rangpur University, chaired the programme.
Members of the civil society of Rangpur by now have raised approximately Tk 10 Lakh to establish a scholarship for female students after the name of Begum Rokeya. During the inaugural ceremony, Parliament Members who spoke also declared donations and scholarship and RDRS promised to support the education of a good number of students. Professor Alauddin Ahmed, Advisor to the Prime Minister also announced a yearly grant of Tk 25,000, while Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman of the University Grants Commission contributed a month's salary to the fund. Professor Rezaul Huq, Convenor of Rangpur University Implementation Committee earlier declared that after his death, his personal library will be gifted to Rangpur University.
The inaugural ceremony was divided into three parts. Professor M Lutfar Rahman gave the inaugural speech of the Inaugural Session. Dr M Najmul Huq of Bangla Department, Rangpur University; Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury, Syndicate Member; Professor KM Elahi, Syndicate Member; Chowdhury Khalequzzaman of Rangpur University Support Foundation; AKM Abdur Rouf Manik, Mayor of Rangpur Pourashabha; Anisul Islam Mondal, MP; Abul Kalam Azad, MP; and Abul Mansur Ahmed, Convenor Rangpur District, Awami League were among the speakers in the First Session. Professor Nazrul Islam and Professor Alauddin Ahmed gave their speeches as the Special and Chief Guests respectively. The Second Session included a series of speeches. Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury talked about university education and society. The next speaker was Rangpur's favourite son, Anisul Huq, a leading litterateur, who talked on the influence of North Bengal in the culture and heritage of Bangladesh. Ms Anwara Haider of HASAB spoke on drugs and AIDS. The Third Session included a cultural programme. The cultural programme included dance and songs. Keeping true to the roots of Rangpur the cultural programme did not forget to include Bhatiyali and Bhawaiya songs. The newly admitted students also participated as well as a leading local musical group.
As a beginning it is very pleasing to know that the name of Rangpur University will soon officially become Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur. The choice could not have been more apt.
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
DS Campus 22 Mar 09: Still my guitar gently weeps
Still My Guitar Gently Weeps: When will we say thanks?
Asrar Chowdhury
Spotlight
Daily Star Campus
Sun 22 March 2009
Independence Day Issue
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/03/04/camspotlight_guitar.htm
With every mistake, we must surely be learning
(Still) My guitar gently weeps
George Harrison at the Concert for Bangladesh, 1st August 1971
1971. Three million lives. 266 days. 7.83 lives per minute. This is just the human price Bangladesh paid for her freedom. During those dark days as the genocide and atrocities were mounting we did have friends in the outside world who made an effort to create awareness of what was really going on in Bangladesh.
The sixties was a decade where popular music reached the status of classic art. This is true for the western world and also our sub-continent. Music is one of the few existing media that has the power to transcend time and space among people. For centuries music has been the catalyst that bounded people from diverse backgrounds in our sub-continent.
With a flowering sixties almost ready to blossom, it was evident music would soon become a weapon in the hands of the wise to protest unjust causes. It was in this background that a child from the East (Jessore, Bangladesh), Ravi Shankar, approached a child from the West (Liverpool, Britain), George Harrison, to create international awareness about the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The collaboration became one of the most influential experiences ever in western popular music.
The stage was set. The friendly people of the United States of America gave a welcoming hand. And the Concert for Bangladesh was staged at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Sunday the First Day of August, 1971. Ravi Shankar rightfully summed up to the 40,000 odd audience that evening, 'Friends, we are artists, not politicians'. Indeed, artists from two different cultures congregated towards a common cause. And through their music they let the world become politically aware of genocides that were being committed on innocent civilians in Bangladesh by vested groups seeking to achieve their narrow goals.
Much has been said and much will be said about the Concert for Bangladesh. Displeasingly though, after all these decades, as a Nation, we never had the 'courage' to honour Ravi Shankar, George Harrison and Friends. There have, however, been initiatives at individual or group levels. The most recent includes the Muktijuddha Jadughar's initiative to celebrate Harrison's Birthday on 25 February this year. The Muktijuddha Jadughar also recently accepted a bronze plaque of Harrison that was presented by Dennis Theophillus of Britain. In spite of all these efforts, the end seems to be a light year ahead if the State remains indifferent or silent for that matter.
For a Nation, it is never too late to amend hiccups of the road. The stage is once again set. 2009 brings new hope that we finally start to set 1971 straight and move on forward as a Nation to our rightful place on the world stage. It is high time we acknowledge Concert for Bangladesh at the State level. I, personally, pray this is the last time I write on this issue. If not, I will carry on doing so. As long as our songs of freedom are alive, as a Nation we will be alive. The least we can do is pass those songs on to the generation that will take Bangladesh forward when none of us will be around.
And till that day arrives, “with every mistake, we must surely be learning”. And Till that day arrives, let Harrison's “guitar gently weep”!
(The author thanks the Muktijuddha Jadughar and Akku Chowdhury for their co-operation in collecting information for this feature.)
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
Asrar Chowdhury
Spotlight
Daily Star Campus
Sun 22 March 2009
Independence Day Issue
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/03/04/camspotlight_guitar.htm
With every mistake, we must surely be learning
(Still) My guitar gently weeps
George Harrison at the Concert for Bangladesh, 1st August 1971
1971. Three million lives. 266 days. 7.83 lives per minute. This is just the human price Bangladesh paid for her freedom. During those dark days as the genocide and atrocities were mounting we did have friends in the outside world who made an effort to create awareness of what was really going on in Bangladesh.
The sixties was a decade where popular music reached the status of classic art. This is true for the western world and also our sub-continent. Music is one of the few existing media that has the power to transcend time and space among people. For centuries music has been the catalyst that bounded people from diverse backgrounds in our sub-continent.
With a flowering sixties almost ready to blossom, it was evident music would soon become a weapon in the hands of the wise to protest unjust causes. It was in this background that a child from the East (Jessore, Bangladesh), Ravi Shankar, approached a child from the West (Liverpool, Britain), George Harrison, to create international awareness about the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The collaboration became one of the most influential experiences ever in western popular music.
The stage was set. The friendly people of the United States of America gave a welcoming hand. And the Concert for Bangladesh was staged at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Sunday the First Day of August, 1971. Ravi Shankar rightfully summed up to the 40,000 odd audience that evening, 'Friends, we are artists, not politicians'. Indeed, artists from two different cultures congregated towards a common cause. And through their music they let the world become politically aware of genocides that were being committed on innocent civilians in Bangladesh by vested groups seeking to achieve their narrow goals.
Much has been said and much will be said about the Concert for Bangladesh. Displeasingly though, after all these decades, as a Nation, we never had the 'courage' to honour Ravi Shankar, George Harrison and Friends. There have, however, been initiatives at individual or group levels. The most recent includes the Muktijuddha Jadughar's initiative to celebrate Harrison's Birthday on 25 February this year. The Muktijuddha Jadughar also recently accepted a bronze plaque of Harrison that was presented by Dennis Theophillus of Britain. In spite of all these efforts, the end seems to be a light year ahead if the State remains indifferent or silent for that matter.
For a Nation, it is never too late to amend hiccups of the road. The stage is once again set. 2009 brings new hope that we finally start to set 1971 straight and move on forward as a Nation to our rightful place on the world stage. It is high time we acknowledge Concert for Bangladesh at the State level. I, personally, pray this is the last time I write on this issue. If not, I will carry on doing so. As long as our songs of freedom are alive, as a Nation we will be alive. The least we can do is pass those songs on to the generation that will take Bangladesh forward when none of us will be around.
And till that day arrives, “with every mistake, we must surely be learning”. And Till that day arrives, let Harrison's “guitar gently weep”!
(The author thanks the Muktijuddha Jadughar and Akku Chowdhury for their co-operation in collecting information for this feature.)
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
DS Campus 15 Mar 09: The Story of 1952 Continues
EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING MY HEAVENLY MOTHER, BENU (MAY THE HEAVENS BLESS HER SOUL) USED TO FEED ME ON THE STORIES ABOUT MY MAMAS AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS THEY DID IN THEIR YOUNG DAYS AND THE ILLUSTRIOUS PEOPLE THEY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH. THIS LITTLE INTERVIEW IS MY LITTLE WAY OF THANKING AMMA FIRST AND MY MAMAS LATER FOR MAKING US FEEL PROUD.
Daily Star Campus
Sunday 15 March 2009
The Story of 1952 Continues: In Conversation with Dr Jamal Uddin
by Asrar Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/03/03/feature_1952.htm
Feature
The Story of 1952 continues
In conversation with Dr Jamal Uddin
Asrar Chowdhury
DR. Jamal Uddin, now a well established physician in Canada, was involved in the 1952 language movement as a young man. The roots of 1952 were ingrained in the Two-Nations Theory that was a dominant factor in the partition of India in 1947. Dr Jamal Uddin recalls “many (but not all) of our West Pakistani friends at school had an air of arrogance since they came from well-to-do backgrounds and their fathers held coveted jobs in the Government. On balance they seldom made an effort to integrate with us although there was never a lack of co-operation from our end. We felt like strangers in our own homeland. The seeds of discontent were sown long before 1952".
The Muslim migrants from West Bengal were at another extreme. They simply took the cultural scene one step ahead with activities that were not in vogue at the time. Tagore was soon to become an integral and defining part of our cultural identity.
In 1952, Dr Jamal Uddin was a student of Dhaka Medical College.When he came to Dhaka, his childhood friend, Quayyum Chowdhury and he knew almost nobody. They soon came into contact and later became good friends with people like Zainul Abedin, Munir Chowdhury, Hasan Hafizur Rahman, Borhan Uddin Khan Jahangir, Murtaza Basir, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury, Alauddin Al Azad and Poet Shamsur Rahman. Through his elder brother, who became a distinguished banker, he came to know Kalim Sharafi, Sardar Fazlul Karim, Khan Sarwar Murshid and others. All of them learned a lot from their endless addas. At the time, none of them were aware of the impact their friends would make on 1952 and later 1971. But one thing was evident. East Pakistan was developing a unique cultural identity.
A storm was brewing and finally on 21st February it erupted. He said, “I watched people from our hostel compound. They were mostly students in small groups carrying banners and shouting slogans. They gathered around the Assembly building close to our hostel. We decided to join the protesters.
But the dreaded gun shots took us back to the hospital”.
“The brutality of the death stunned even our trained medical eyes. We were used to confronting death by illness or by accident, but not by such ruthless and hostile acts. The asphalt of the Ramna that day was soaked with the blood of heroes and the tears of many that were to lay the foundation of bigger sacrifices that were to come in the future”. There were many factions with different and opposing political ideologies. All of these diverse factions came together to a common platform through the Language Movement. The denial of the right to our language by a distant minority was a form of subjugation that was intolerable. So the generation responded in the best way they knew.
The Two-Nation Theory did not take too long to prove its emptiness. He said, “Our generation split open the politically convenient and illogical concept of an accommodation that was blind to cultural differences. We strongly felt we were the colony of the 'elites' of West Pakistan. Our only common link was the 'convenience' of religion”.
1952 was the beginning of a new beginning. Dr Jamal Uddin's generation addressed the cultural inequalities they confronted. The next generation took the struggle one notch higher to create a place we could finally call home, Bangladesh.As he said, “I left my country in 1959 and came to North America. Even after all these years, it seems to me that the job is far from being over. What has been achieved with blood, sweat and tears must not and cannot slip away. As I slowly see our generation fading into oblivion, I can only ask the new generation of Bangladesh with hope. I was born in British India and grew up in Pakistan. When I first returned, it was Bangladesh. Ours is a generation that experienced the sweetness and bitterness of change. We often paid very high prices to resist unjust situations we found ourselves in. As the generation that will take Bangladesh forward in the beginning of the next millennium, all we ask is you address the economic and social inequalities that still plague this wonderful land of ours that always has and still seems to hold potential. What we started is only a beginning. The end lies in your hands. The story of 1952 still continues.”
(Asrar Chowdhury is a university academic in Bangladesh. Email: asrarul@gmail.com)
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
Daily Star Campus
Sunday 15 March 2009
The Story of 1952 Continues: In Conversation with Dr Jamal Uddin
by Asrar Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/03/03/feature_1952.htm
Feature
The Story of 1952 continues
In conversation with Dr Jamal Uddin
Asrar Chowdhury
DR. Jamal Uddin, now a well established physician in Canada, was involved in the 1952 language movement as a young man. The roots of 1952 were ingrained in the Two-Nations Theory that was a dominant factor in the partition of India in 1947. Dr Jamal Uddin recalls “many (but not all) of our West Pakistani friends at school had an air of arrogance since they came from well-to-do backgrounds and their fathers held coveted jobs in the Government. On balance they seldom made an effort to integrate with us although there was never a lack of co-operation from our end. We felt like strangers in our own homeland. The seeds of discontent were sown long before 1952".
The Muslim migrants from West Bengal were at another extreme. They simply took the cultural scene one step ahead with activities that were not in vogue at the time. Tagore was soon to become an integral and defining part of our cultural identity.
In 1952, Dr Jamal Uddin was a student of Dhaka Medical College.When he came to Dhaka, his childhood friend, Quayyum Chowdhury and he knew almost nobody. They soon came into contact and later became good friends with people like Zainul Abedin, Munir Chowdhury, Hasan Hafizur Rahman, Borhan Uddin Khan Jahangir, Murtaza Basir, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury, Alauddin Al Azad and Poet Shamsur Rahman. Through his elder brother, who became a distinguished banker, he came to know Kalim Sharafi, Sardar Fazlul Karim, Khan Sarwar Murshid and others. All of them learned a lot from their endless addas. At the time, none of them were aware of the impact their friends would make on 1952 and later 1971. But one thing was evident. East Pakistan was developing a unique cultural identity.
A storm was brewing and finally on 21st February it erupted. He said, “I watched people from our hostel compound. They were mostly students in small groups carrying banners and shouting slogans. They gathered around the Assembly building close to our hostel. We decided to join the protesters.
But the dreaded gun shots took us back to the hospital”.
“The brutality of the death stunned even our trained medical eyes. We were used to confronting death by illness or by accident, but not by such ruthless and hostile acts. The asphalt of the Ramna that day was soaked with the blood of heroes and the tears of many that were to lay the foundation of bigger sacrifices that were to come in the future”. There were many factions with different and opposing political ideologies. All of these diverse factions came together to a common platform through the Language Movement. The denial of the right to our language by a distant minority was a form of subjugation that was intolerable. So the generation responded in the best way they knew.
The Two-Nation Theory did not take too long to prove its emptiness. He said, “Our generation split open the politically convenient and illogical concept of an accommodation that was blind to cultural differences. We strongly felt we were the colony of the 'elites' of West Pakistan. Our only common link was the 'convenience' of religion”.
1952 was the beginning of a new beginning. Dr Jamal Uddin's generation addressed the cultural inequalities they confronted. The next generation took the struggle one notch higher to create a place we could finally call home, Bangladesh.As he said, “I left my country in 1959 and came to North America. Even after all these years, it seems to me that the job is far from being over. What has been achieved with blood, sweat and tears must not and cannot slip away. As I slowly see our generation fading into oblivion, I can only ask the new generation of Bangladesh with hope. I was born in British India and grew up in Pakistan. When I first returned, it was Bangladesh. Ours is a generation that experienced the sweetness and bitterness of change. We often paid very high prices to resist unjust situations we found ourselves in. As the generation that will take Bangladesh forward in the beginning of the next millennium, all we ask is you address the economic and social inequalities that still plague this wonderful land of ours that always has and still seems to hold potential. What we started is only a beginning. The end lies in your hands. The story of 1952 still continues.”
(Asrar Chowdhury is a university academic in Bangladesh. Email: asrarul@gmail.com)
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2009
DS Campus 25 Jan 09: We lost only to 'die another day'
Daily Star Campus
Sunday 25 January 2009
We lost only to 'die another day'
by Asrar Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/01/04/feature_die.htm
“THE day the music died” in Cricket for me was when the Prince of the Caribbean, Brian Charles Lara, said goodbye. And with him I said “Goodbye Miss [Cricket] Pie”! I have not watched a Bangladeshi cricket match for a long time. Watching two in a row was never on the cards. Watching Bangladesh make its way into the Finals of the Tri-Nation Cricket Series, evoked the romanticism of Cricket in my heart like it did in 1990 when one Brian Charles Lara said that he had arrived with 44 runs, before the spin wizard Abdul Qadir put an end to his debut Test innings!
After the Zimbabwe debacle, it was almost obvious that Bangladesh was entering into another phase of its so-familiar hibernation at the beginning of 2009. Surprisingly, that was not to be. The way Bangladesh performed in their group match against Sri Lanka made one believe that this team may have finally come of age. Then reading between the lines, one sees a familiar picture- the bowlers and the fielders were responsible for the victory more than the top-order batsmen.
There has never been question about the talent of our batsmen. The question has always been about their temperament. We are used to throwing wickets in the process of flashing our bats outside the off stump at crucial stages of an innings or just when a partnership is about to be set. Our bowlers and fielders are the ones who bail us out, but then they are only as good as the duration our batsman can keep their bails on their wickets.
In the final match Bangladesh once again found herself in familiar waters. The mirage of victory in the previous match against the same opponent quickly evaporated. The top-order failed to make an impression. Rokibul and Mahmudullah brought some respectability by dragging the innings close to the 50th over. In the end, 152 runs were all we could muster.
Such a paltry target would never be enough against a different Sri Lanka team in the final. Then sun shone on Bangladesh from the word go as Sakib sent Jayasuriya back to the pavilion with a brilliant run out on the very first ball of the innings. Bangladesh created a world record by sending the first five opponent batsmen back to the pavilion with only 6 runs on the board. It was difficult to predict if it was a mirage. Again it was the bowlers and the fielders who did the damage.
The test was not if we could win. Rather how well we could defend only 152 runs. And we did it very well. It was not until Sakib removed Sangakara and Kulasekara in his penultimate over that a victory was really on the cards. Many may blame Ashraful for what followed next. But then in hindsight Ashraful made the right move. He had to gamble. Rubel Hossain had cleared the same Lankan tail in his second spell in the previous match. This time however Lady Luck did not smile at Rubel. The best of the best bowlers have met the fate Rubel did on that day. It just was not our day.
For once we can celebrate a Bangladesh loss in cricket. It is not everyday that we see Bangladesh play like Tigers for two matches on the trot. And play consistently against the odds. The aspiration of each individual to do well showed in the body language of the Team. This is welcoming. Then again the consistently inconsistent performance of our top-order batsmen is one aspect the Team has to address. We cannot always depend on our lower order batsmen and our bowlers to bail us out.
Good performance is as contagious as bad performance. One can only hope the Team spirit we saw grows bolder and bolder as 2009 unfolds. If it does, the elusive victories will come. It will only be a matter of time. Our greatest asset is the exuberance of youth. Hopefully 2009 will be a big year for Bangladesh Cricket. For the time being let's celebrate a good overall performance of the Bangladesh Cricket Team. In the end we lost only to 'die another day'!
(Writer is a university academic)
Sunday 25 January 2009
We lost only to 'die another day'
by Asrar Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/01/04/feature_die.htm
“THE day the music died” in Cricket for me was when the Prince of the Caribbean, Brian Charles Lara, said goodbye. And with him I said “Goodbye Miss [Cricket] Pie”! I have not watched a Bangladeshi cricket match for a long time. Watching two in a row was never on the cards. Watching Bangladesh make its way into the Finals of the Tri-Nation Cricket Series, evoked the romanticism of Cricket in my heart like it did in 1990 when one Brian Charles Lara said that he had arrived with 44 runs, before the spin wizard Abdul Qadir put an end to his debut Test innings!
After the Zimbabwe debacle, it was almost obvious that Bangladesh was entering into another phase of its so-familiar hibernation at the beginning of 2009. Surprisingly, that was not to be. The way Bangladesh performed in their group match against Sri Lanka made one believe that this team may have finally come of age. Then reading between the lines, one sees a familiar picture- the bowlers and the fielders were responsible for the victory more than the top-order batsmen.
There has never been question about the talent of our batsmen. The question has always been about their temperament. We are used to throwing wickets in the process of flashing our bats outside the off stump at crucial stages of an innings or just when a partnership is about to be set. Our bowlers and fielders are the ones who bail us out, but then they are only as good as the duration our batsman can keep their bails on their wickets.
In the final match Bangladesh once again found herself in familiar waters. The mirage of victory in the previous match against the same opponent quickly evaporated. The top-order failed to make an impression. Rokibul and Mahmudullah brought some respectability by dragging the innings close to the 50th over. In the end, 152 runs were all we could muster.
Such a paltry target would never be enough against a different Sri Lanka team in the final. Then sun shone on Bangladesh from the word go as Sakib sent Jayasuriya back to the pavilion with a brilliant run out on the very first ball of the innings. Bangladesh created a world record by sending the first five opponent batsmen back to the pavilion with only 6 runs on the board. It was difficult to predict if it was a mirage. Again it was the bowlers and the fielders who did the damage.
The test was not if we could win. Rather how well we could defend only 152 runs. And we did it very well. It was not until Sakib removed Sangakara and Kulasekara in his penultimate over that a victory was really on the cards. Many may blame Ashraful for what followed next. But then in hindsight Ashraful made the right move. He had to gamble. Rubel Hossain had cleared the same Lankan tail in his second spell in the previous match. This time however Lady Luck did not smile at Rubel. The best of the best bowlers have met the fate Rubel did on that day. It just was not our day.
For once we can celebrate a Bangladesh loss in cricket. It is not everyday that we see Bangladesh play like Tigers for two matches on the trot. And play consistently against the odds. The aspiration of each individual to do well showed in the body language of the Team. This is welcoming. Then again the consistently inconsistent performance of our top-order batsmen is one aspect the Team has to address. We cannot always depend on our lower order batsmen and our bowlers to bail us out.
Good performance is as contagious as bad performance. One can only hope the Team spirit we saw grows bolder and bolder as 2009 unfolds. If it does, the elusive victories will come. It will only be a matter of time. Our greatest asset is the exuberance of youth. Hopefully 2009 will be a big year for Bangladesh Cricket. For the time being let's celebrate a good overall performance of the Bangladesh Cricket Team. In the end we lost only to 'die another day'!
(Writer is a university academic)
DS Campus 04 Jan 09 Power to the People! Power to Democracy!
Daily Star Campus
4 Jan 2009
Power to the People! Power to Democracy!
By Asrar Chowdhury
URL http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/01/01/feature_democracy.htm
The voice of the people is always heard. When the time is right, the people's voice is always the might. The voice of the people sends signals to the political market on how people's choice is to be allocated. Whether a status quo is to be maintained or whether there's a call for “winds of change”. Failure to listen to and honour these signals can result in violent revolutions that lead to the birth of a new political institution or a new political nation. Simply look at history to verify.
The history of the Twentieth Century shows that, nations that have had stable political institutions are also nations that have moved forward. Barring few exceptions, democracy has proved to be the most stable political institution. Whether that's a Presidential form of democracy; a Parliamentarian form of democracy; or even a cross between the two. This, however, doesn't mean that a democracy can't and won't produce governments or political machines that can and do become leviathans.
It's a well-quoted phrase, incumbent governments don't win elections; they loose them. Failure of the previous democratic administration to live up to the overwhelming mandate the people of Bangladesh gave to them then, in more ways than not, has been the main reason for their shocking defeat and the unprecedented victory of their opponents in December 2008.
The Ninth Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh will go down in history as a victory of the people and a victory of democracy. Since December 1970, and December 1990, the people of Bangladesh have never sent such decisive signals to the political market for change as they did in December 2008. Awami League and the Grand Alliance received an unprecedented mandate to govern Bangladesh in the next five years. The real challenge, however, starts now. How can Bangladesh as a nation make an effort to move forward in the Twenty First Century? Today's piece is a brief introduction to the challenges that lie ahead not only for those who will form the next government, but also for those who won't.
There has never been doubt about the potential of Bangladesh as a nation. The Indian Statesman Gopal Krishna Gokhale didn't make his observation that “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow” from emptiness. In spite of so many hiccups, Bangladesh has shown impressive performance in many economic and social indicators since independence in 1971. The question mark, however, remains. The most vulnerable area for Bangladesh lies in her non-stable political institutions. Now is the time for action. The 2008 Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh sent one very important signal to the political market. The electorate of Bangladesh think carefully and express their views intelligently in a free and fair election. This is a signal for a lesson to be learned not only for the victors, but also for those who have been defeated.
Awami League and the Grand Alliance has an almost absolute mandate of the electorate to make an effort to fulfil its pre-election promises. The fate of the nation now rests in the hands of the victors probably more than any other time in the 37 plus years of the existence of Bangladesh as an independent nation. If the Grand Alliance reads and responds to the political signals well they will be rehabilitated in the history of Bangladesh in golden letters. If history repeats itself to show the rivalry Bangladesh has been so familiar with, then the next five years will go down in history in rotten letters.
In democracy collective choices are allocated through a political market mechanism. The society also has its own mechanism in allocating collective choices in the absence of democratic institutions. Both the victors and the defeated of the 2008 Parliamentary Elections have records of history in front of them. If you fail to live up to the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh, you have to pay a very high price. History now shows that the Bangladesh electorate is far, far more intelligent than those of many countries, developed and developing. And also many established democracies. This is probably our greatest political asset. It remains to be seen how the next five years unfold. For the time being, let us hope our political leadership reads and responds to the collective choices of the Bangladesh electorate. Power to the People! Power to Democracy! Power to Bangladesh and 1971!
Asrar Chowdhury is a university academic. Email: asrarul@gmail.com
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
4 Jan 2009
Power to the People! Power to Democracy!
By Asrar Chowdhury
URL http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2009/01/01/feature_democracy.htm
The voice of the people is always heard. When the time is right, the people's voice is always the might. The voice of the people sends signals to the political market on how people's choice is to be allocated. Whether a status quo is to be maintained or whether there's a call for “winds of change”. Failure to listen to and honour these signals can result in violent revolutions that lead to the birth of a new political institution or a new political nation. Simply look at history to verify.
The history of the Twentieth Century shows that, nations that have had stable political institutions are also nations that have moved forward. Barring few exceptions, democracy has proved to be the most stable political institution. Whether that's a Presidential form of democracy; a Parliamentarian form of democracy; or even a cross between the two. This, however, doesn't mean that a democracy can't and won't produce governments or political machines that can and do become leviathans.
It's a well-quoted phrase, incumbent governments don't win elections; they loose them. Failure of the previous democratic administration to live up to the overwhelming mandate the people of Bangladesh gave to them then, in more ways than not, has been the main reason for their shocking defeat and the unprecedented victory of their opponents in December 2008.
The Ninth Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh will go down in history as a victory of the people and a victory of democracy. Since December 1970, and December 1990, the people of Bangladesh have never sent such decisive signals to the political market for change as they did in December 2008. Awami League and the Grand Alliance received an unprecedented mandate to govern Bangladesh in the next five years. The real challenge, however, starts now. How can Bangladesh as a nation make an effort to move forward in the Twenty First Century? Today's piece is a brief introduction to the challenges that lie ahead not only for those who will form the next government, but also for those who won't.
There has never been doubt about the potential of Bangladesh as a nation. The Indian Statesman Gopal Krishna Gokhale didn't make his observation that “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow” from emptiness. In spite of so many hiccups, Bangladesh has shown impressive performance in many economic and social indicators since independence in 1971. The question mark, however, remains. The most vulnerable area for Bangladesh lies in her non-stable political institutions. Now is the time for action. The 2008 Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh sent one very important signal to the political market. The electorate of Bangladesh think carefully and express their views intelligently in a free and fair election. This is a signal for a lesson to be learned not only for the victors, but also for those who have been defeated.
Awami League and the Grand Alliance has an almost absolute mandate of the electorate to make an effort to fulfil its pre-election promises. The fate of the nation now rests in the hands of the victors probably more than any other time in the 37 plus years of the existence of Bangladesh as an independent nation. If the Grand Alliance reads and responds to the political signals well they will be rehabilitated in the history of Bangladesh in golden letters. If history repeats itself to show the rivalry Bangladesh has been so familiar with, then the next five years will go down in history in rotten letters.
In democracy collective choices are allocated through a political market mechanism. The society also has its own mechanism in allocating collective choices in the absence of democratic institutions. Both the victors and the defeated of the 2008 Parliamentary Elections have records of history in front of them. If you fail to live up to the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh, you have to pay a very high price. History now shows that the Bangladesh electorate is far, far more intelligent than those of many countries, developed and developing. And also many established democracies. This is probably our greatest political asset. It remains to be seen how the next five years unfold. For the time being, let us hope our political leadership reads and responds to the collective choices of the Bangladesh electorate. Power to the People! Power to Democracy! Power to Bangladesh and 1971!
Asrar Chowdhury is a university academic. Email: asrarul@gmail.com
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
DS: 16 Dec 2008 Supplement: Interview on Fateh Ali Chowdhury
Daily Star
16 December 2008 Special Issue
Interview on Fateh Ali Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/suppliments/2008/16th_dec/mundane.htm
“Free the mundane present from the glorious past”
Asrar Chowdhury
1971. Three million lives. 266 days. 7.83 lives per minute. This is just the human price Bangladesh paid for her freedom. Fate had it I missed the 1971 'Train to Bangladesh'. History wasn't on my side. I belong to the post-1971 generation. As a Nation we're lucky though. The 'living' of 1971 have preserved the stories of the 'dead' of 1971. Through these stories, the fire and the spirit of 1971 have been preserved for us. If another train does blow her whistle in my lifetime, I surely won't miss it.
Any student of the Muktijuddha has heard the name of Fateh Ali Chowdhury. A Freedom Fighter of Sector 2, he was a part of a few critical operations of our Muktibahini. The irony is, not too many have heard him speak about his experiences and thoughts on the Muktijuddha. He likes to stay away from the limelight. But then. The post-1971 generation can't always accept silence as a virtue. I couldn't resist myself when I heard he agreed to talk about his experiences and thoughts on 1971. I certainly didn't want to miss this 'Train.'
When the Muktijuddha started, Fateh Ali Chowdhury was a student of the final year in English at Dhaka University. Bright careers chased University students in those days. But that wasn't to be. Life seldom goes as planned. His was a generation that was at the crossroads of history. Many like him soon found themselves pursuing a much brighter career. Defending the honour of the Motherland to establish the foundations of a Free Bangladesh.
“We didn't decide to go to war. It just happened. After the crackdown on 26 March, when we saw our own people being slaughtered like game, we found ourselves in a position where joining the war was the only option. And like many others, we went out to defend the honour of the Motherland”. Fateh Bhai puffed his cigarette and carried on. “This is probably the same story of all of us who fought in 1971.”
Fateh Ali Chowdhury was a member of the Crack Platoon of Sector 2. The Dhaka Operation of Crack Platoon 2 in late August 1971 is a turning point in our Muktijuddha. There may be romanticism in fighting a war, but the scars can stay for as long as one lives. On 29 August, nine Freedom Fighters of Crack Platoon 2 were caught. Rumi, Altaf Mahmud, Chullu, Badi, Jewel and Bakr were among them. Fateh Bhai became emotional. “It was then we realised there was no turning back.”
Two names, Fateh Ali Chowdhury and Habibul Alam will go down in history in the first two days of the existence of Bangladesh as an independent nation. The waiting was worth its weight in gold that day. To be able to hear the story from Fateh Bhai himself!
“Crack Platoon entered Dhaka on 16 December 1971” started Fateh Bhai. “Bangladesh was now a free country. I went inside Dhaka Cantonment with the Four Guards Regiment of the Indian Army in search of any Freedom Fighters who could have been held as prisoners. But I could not trace anybody in the total chaotic situation. I learned from a source that some of our Freedom Fighters from the Crack Platoon Operation of 29 August could be alive and were held in Dhaka Central Jail.”
“In the mean time, Habibul Alam and I decided it would be appropriate to open the Radio and BTV. The next morning, 17 December, we went to the Radio Office. Earlier, we contacted Shamsul Huda Chowdhury, Former Regional Director of Radio. He advised us on how to open the Radio. This would be the first broadcast in the air media of Independent Bangladesh. I clearly remember what I said”, Fateh Bhai said with emotional eyes.
“I am Fateh Ali Chowdhury, a Freedom Fighter of Sector 2. On behalf of the Fourth Bengal Regiment, Major Haider of Sector 2, Officer Commanding of Dhaka Operation will now speak”. There was a pause. Fateh Bhai took a deep breath. “Sir (Major Haider) spoke.”
“We then rushed off to Dhaka Central Jail. There wasn't a moment to lose.”
“Habibul Alam and I reached Dhaka Central Jail before noon. We asked the Jail Officer if there were any Freedom Fighters among the prisoners. And then we asked how many of the prisoners could be freed according to Law.”
“We learned that four Freedom Fighters were in the Jail. They were Masud Sadeque Chullu, Abdus Samad, Kazi Iqbal and Ahsanullah. The Jail Officer made a list of the Freedom Fighters, Political Prisoners, and those charged with Petty Crimes who could be freed according to Law. He handed the list to Habibul Alam. Habib signed on behalf of the Fourth Bengal Regiment. I countersigned. Dhaka Jail was opened. We then went to open BTV.”
“Shamsul Huda Chowdhury advised us to contact Ejaz Ahmed to open BTV. We did so. This time I was more tensed than the entire nine months of our freedom struggle. Shimul Billah sang the National Anthem. We made the same statement as we did on Radio. And that was it. Our Radio, Dhaka Jail and BTV were opened.”
"I was just the rubber-stamp of history. If I weren't there that day, somebody else would have done what I did. In the words of my friend, the noted singer Azam Khan, I want to say 'Today Bangladesh is free. And this is my achievement.'"
“Very few Nations have the privilege of fighting a War of Independence. It's true that I was one of the Freedom Fighters who fought with arms. But then, a true victory would never have been possible if the Nation didn't participate. Those who didn't fight with arms are also Freedom Fighters. The death toll itself speaks. We fought the Muktijuddha as One Nation. I'm honoured to have been a part of this history. That's all.”
I had to ask Fateh Bhai the question many would like to ask. “Why don't you normally talk about 1971”? Fateh Bhai looked at me. His eyes gave the indication I was about to witness history in the making.
“History cannot be contemporaneous. What I am saying now and you are writing is documentation only. History can only be written by posterity.”
I now understood Fateh Bhai's 'sounds of silence'. But then. The post-1971 generation expects more than just mere documentation. Fateh Bhai looked at me again. This time his eyes had a childlike look. He wanted to say something to us.
“The spirit and the fire of 1971 now rest in the hands of the young of today's Bangladesh. It's your responsibility to play your part in taking Bangladesh forward. It's your responsibility to do something positive for your posterity. This is all our generation expects. Nothing more. Nothing less!”
Fateh Ali Chowdhury's famous last words were “Free the mundane present from the glorious past!”
Acknowledgement: Thanks to Mirza M Eyahia and Rezaul Amin, Freedom Fighters of Sector 2 for arranging the interview.
Asrar Chowdhury is a Faculty in Economics at Jahangirnagar University.
16 December 2008 Special Issue
Interview on Fateh Ali Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/suppliments/2008/16th_dec/mundane.htm
“Free the mundane present from the glorious past”
Asrar Chowdhury
1971. Three million lives. 266 days. 7.83 lives per minute. This is just the human price Bangladesh paid for her freedom. Fate had it I missed the 1971 'Train to Bangladesh'. History wasn't on my side. I belong to the post-1971 generation. As a Nation we're lucky though. The 'living' of 1971 have preserved the stories of the 'dead' of 1971. Through these stories, the fire and the spirit of 1971 have been preserved for us. If another train does blow her whistle in my lifetime, I surely won't miss it.
Any student of the Muktijuddha has heard the name of Fateh Ali Chowdhury. A Freedom Fighter of Sector 2, he was a part of a few critical operations of our Muktibahini. The irony is, not too many have heard him speak about his experiences and thoughts on the Muktijuddha. He likes to stay away from the limelight. But then. The post-1971 generation can't always accept silence as a virtue. I couldn't resist myself when I heard he agreed to talk about his experiences and thoughts on 1971. I certainly didn't want to miss this 'Train.'
When the Muktijuddha started, Fateh Ali Chowdhury was a student of the final year in English at Dhaka University. Bright careers chased University students in those days. But that wasn't to be. Life seldom goes as planned. His was a generation that was at the crossroads of history. Many like him soon found themselves pursuing a much brighter career. Defending the honour of the Motherland to establish the foundations of a Free Bangladesh.
“We didn't decide to go to war. It just happened. After the crackdown on 26 March, when we saw our own people being slaughtered like game, we found ourselves in a position where joining the war was the only option. And like many others, we went out to defend the honour of the Motherland”. Fateh Bhai puffed his cigarette and carried on. “This is probably the same story of all of us who fought in 1971.”
Fateh Ali Chowdhury was a member of the Crack Platoon of Sector 2. The Dhaka Operation of Crack Platoon 2 in late August 1971 is a turning point in our Muktijuddha. There may be romanticism in fighting a war, but the scars can stay for as long as one lives. On 29 August, nine Freedom Fighters of Crack Platoon 2 were caught. Rumi, Altaf Mahmud, Chullu, Badi, Jewel and Bakr were among them. Fateh Bhai became emotional. “It was then we realised there was no turning back.”
Two names, Fateh Ali Chowdhury and Habibul Alam will go down in history in the first two days of the existence of Bangladesh as an independent nation. The waiting was worth its weight in gold that day. To be able to hear the story from Fateh Bhai himself!
“Crack Platoon entered Dhaka on 16 December 1971” started Fateh Bhai. “Bangladesh was now a free country. I went inside Dhaka Cantonment with the Four Guards Regiment of the Indian Army in search of any Freedom Fighters who could have been held as prisoners. But I could not trace anybody in the total chaotic situation. I learned from a source that some of our Freedom Fighters from the Crack Platoon Operation of 29 August could be alive and were held in Dhaka Central Jail.”
“In the mean time, Habibul Alam and I decided it would be appropriate to open the Radio and BTV. The next morning, 17 December, we went to the Radio Office. Earlier, we contacted Shamsul Huda Chowdhury, Former Regional Director of Radio. He advised us on how to open the Radio. This would be the first broadcast in the air media of Independent Bangladesh. I clearly remember what I said”, Fateh Bhai said with emotional eyes.
“I am Fateh Ali Chowdhury, a Freedom Fighter of Sector 2. On behalf of the Fourth Bengal Regiment, Major Haider of Sector 2, Officer Commanding of Dhaka Operation will now speak”. There was a pause. Fateh Bhai took a deep breath. “Sir (Major Haider) spoke.”
“We then rushed off to Dhaka Central Jail. There wasn't a moment to lose.”
“Habibul Alam and I reached Dhaka Central Jail before noon. We asked the Jail Officer if there were any Freedom Fighters among the prisoners. And then we asked how many of the prisoners could be freed according to Law.”
“We learned that four Freedom Fighters were in the Jail. They were Masud Sadeque Chullu, Abdus Samad, Kazi Iqbal and Ahsanullah. The Jail Officer made a list of the Freedom Fighters, Political Prisoners, and those charged with Petty Crimes who could be freed according to Law. He handed the list to Habibul Alam. Habib signed on behalf of the Fourth Bengal Regiment. I countersigned. Dhaka Jail was opened. We then went to open BTV.”
“Shamsul Huda Chowdhury advised us to contact Ejaz Ahmed to open BTV. We did so. This time I was more tensed than the entire nine months of our freedom struggle. Shimul Billah sang the National Anthem. We made the same statement as we did on Radio. And that was it. Our Radio, Dhaka Jail and BTV were opened.”
"I was just the rubber-stamp of history. If I weren't there that day, somebody else would have done what I did. In the words of my friend, the noted singer Azam Khan, I want to say 'Today Bangladesh is free. And this is my achievement.'"
“Very few Nations have the privilege of fighting a War of Independence. It's true that I was one of the Freedom Fighters who fought with arms. But then, a true victory would never have been possible if the Nation didn't participate. Those who didn't fight with arms are also Freedom Fighters. The death toll itself speaks. We fought the Muktijuddha as One Nation. I'm honoured to have been a part of this history. That's all.”
I had to ask Fateh Bhai the question many would like to ask. “Why don't you normally talk about 1971”? Fateh Bhai looked at me. His eyes gave the indication I was about to witness history in the making.
“History cannot be contemporaneous. What I am saying now and you are writing is documentation only. History can only be written by posterity.”
I now understood Fateh Bhai's 'sounds of silence'. But then. The post-1971 generation expects more than just mere documentation. Fateh Bhai looked at me again. This time his eyes had a childlike look. He wanted to say something to us.
“The spirit and the fire of 1971 now rest in the hands of the young of today's Bangladesh. It's your responsibility to play your part in taking Bangladesh forward. It's your responsibility to do something positive for your posterity. This is all our generation expects. Nothing more. Nothing less!”
Fateh Ali Chowdhury's famous last words were “Free the mundane present from the glorious past!”
Acknowledgement: Thanks to Mirza M Eyahia and Rezaul Amin, Freedom Fighters of Sector 2 for arranging the interview.
Asrar Chowdhury is a Faculty in Economics at Jahangirnagar University.
DS Campus 12/Oct/08 Annapurna's First Visit to the "Campus"
Annapurna's Father was born in a campus and has spent his entire life travelling from one campus to another.
Annapurna's Grand Father has been associated with a campus from the age of 18.
Fate has it, Annapurna never visited her Father's or Grand Father's campuses properly.
She visited a campus of her generation, a campus of virtual reality, The Daily Star Campus.
Thanks to Daily Star Campus
We pray for your prayers and blessings so Annapurna remains in good health and finds spiritual reward in whatever she does in her life. This, however, is the same prayer we make for all children everywhere.
Annapurna's Family
12 October 2008
***
http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/10/01/index.htm
http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/10/01/eid_celebrations.htm
Annapurna's Grand Father has been associated with a campus from the age of 18.
Fate has it, Annapurna never visited her Father's or Grand Father's campuses properly.
She visited a campus of her generation, a campus of virtual reality, The Daily Star Campus.
Thanks to Daily Star Campus
We pray for your prayers and blessings so Annapurna remains in good health and finds spiritual reward in whatever she does in her life. This, however, is the same prayer we make for all children everywhere.
Annapurna's Family
12 October 2008
***
http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/10/01/index.htm
http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/10/01/eid_celebrations.htm
DS Campus 12/Oct/08 Let's teach our children well
Campus
Daily Star
Sunday 12 Oct 2008
***
Feature
Let's teach our children well
Asrar Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/10/01/feature_teach.htm
BEFORE my first lecture at Jahangirnagar, like Santiago, I went on a pilgrimage to meet our Alchemist, Jewel Aich. Jewel Da' was a teacher in his 'first life'. Being the Alchemist he is, he cast some everlasting spells. The adda that day transformed my outlook towards teaching. Time and space may have broadened my horizons. I may have moved on in life. True. But, that day I realised what a demanding profession teaching is!
No dark sarcasms in the classroom; Teacher, leave those kids alone! - Pink Floyd
Time and space started our discussion. What's the objective of teaching? To help the student get a degree to make them employable on the job market, or to make them inquisitive like that Nazrul poem we all read in our childhood, thakbo nako boddho ghore? The answer is both!
A good teacher is also a good actor and a good storyteller. They master the art of keeping hold of the attention of the student as they tell their story. So the student doesn't get bored. At the same time the student becomes inquisitive. True, a teacher has to repeat topics but then the teacher can't be repetitive. What a dilemma! What to do then? Just break the time into little fragments so the class doesn't feel boring.
Listening to somebody for more than 5 to 7 minutes at a stretch can be boring. So, you pause and then press play again every few minutes. A good book isn't a single chapter, but a continuation of several 'separate' chapters that weave into one continuous entity. A good lecture is also an integration of many small fragments that weave into a beautiful tapestry or a nakshi kantha. Each 'separate' fragment has its own story to tell.
What about space? Time is simply a preparation to reach and then leave space. To prepare for those few minutes of a lecture, a good teacher needs to prepare to 'visualise' the entire space. Where will the pauses come and go? How much content do I cover? Will the students be able to absorb the content? How do I link today's content with yesterday's and tomorrow's? Yes. You do need to plan a lecture. You can 'probably' get away with one or two extempore performances here and there, but not everywhere! Students are always the best judges of a teacher. It's the students who listen to and read our storybook in the little time we have in the classroom.
The classroom by nature is claustrophobic. Four walls and a roof bound all classrooms. The days of the Guru- Shishya learning underneath a tree are gone. But the power of knowledge and the grace of wisdom can transform that very claustrophobic classroom to become as vast as human imagination. That's the “final frontier”, “to go where no man has ever gone before”!
A good teacher has to be 'very careful' in selecting time and space. Who am I teaching? Who's my audience? What are my limits? Are there any limits at all? If the calculations go wrong the Guru Mashai can easily end up talking to the board and not the class!
[We are] lead by an invisible hand to promote an end, which was no part of [our] intention
- Adam Smith
Competition in labour markets makes universities concentrate on the aptitude of 'average' students. This is the general pattern everywhere. Bangladesh is no exception. If the 'average' quality of the students of an educational institute is good, it sends good signals back to the existing students when they enter the job market. If this 'average' proves to be reliable over time then there won't be adversity in selecting and distinguishing between students of different institutes. The name of the institute itself carries weight in the job market. Employers 'employ' many 'screening' methods to avoid this adverse selection. This 'average' and reliability of this 'average' is what we teachers first target.
The answer my friend, is Blowin' in the wind - Bob Dylan
What about that step Neil Armstrong made- “One step for man, but a great leap for mankind”? As teachers, will we be obsessed by the 'average'? Will market forces dictate our every action and policy? Will the classroom “manufacture” only, and not “create”? If that's the scenario, I'm sorry to say, I'd like to leave this classroom!
Do I have any interest in today's story? Of course I do. As an individual and as a community 'we' are also political animals. But then. Wait. Don't, all political animals need a 'natural habitat' to survive and flourish? Today's 'our' day. So, 'we' better beat 'our' own drums. Like it or not. 'We' are different. In Bangladesh and everywhere!
The pen is mightier than the sword. Wisdom is more powerful than knowledge. A good teacher can make mountains move; the winds change their course; and transform a desert into an oasis. Yes. A good teacher is also a good Alchemist. It's these Alchemists who “create” gifted students in the claustrophobic classroom. These gifted students first move their own society and then mankind forward. This is the society that takes Nazrul's poem from the claustrophobic book into the “final frontier”. That's civilisationnot to be limited by claustrophobia, either spatial or mental. However. For that you need good teachers.
Good teachers are the harvest of social investment and the reflection of the society itself. It's the responsibility of the society to ensure that safe environment and safe 'natural habitat' for its teachers. Once that's done, the rest is just a matter of time. On International Teacher's Day, let's reflect on ensuring a safe environment for our teachers to “teach our children well”. We did it in the past. Why not again?
Asrarul Islam Chowdhury teaches in the departments of economics at Jahangirnagar and North South Universities. Email: asrarul@gmail.com
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
Daily Star
Sunday 12 Oct 2008
***
Feature
Let's teach our children well
Asrar Chowdhury
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/10/01/feature_teach.htm
BEFORE my first lecture at Jahangirnagar, like Santiago, I went on a pilgrimage to meet our Alchemist, Jewel Aich. Jewel Da' was a teacher in his 'first life'. Being the Alchemist he is, he cast some everlasting spells. The adda that day transformed my outlook towards teaching. Time and space may have broadened my horizons. I may have moved on in life. True. But, that day I realised what a demanding profession teaching is!
No dark sarcasms in the classroom; Teacher, leave those kids alone! - Pink Floyd
Time and space started our discussion. What's the objective of teaching? To help the student get a degree to make them employable on the job market, or to make them inquisitive like that Nazrul poem we all read in our childhood, thakbo nako boddho ghore? The answer is both!
A good teacher is also a good actor and a good storyteller. They master the art of keeping hold of the attention of the student as they tell their story. So the student doesn't get bored. At the same time the student becomes inquisitive. True, a teacher has to repeat topics but then the teacher can't be repetitive. What a dilemma! What to do then? Just break the time into little fragments so the class doesn't feel boring.
Listening to somebody for more than 5 to 7 minutes at a stretch can be boring. So, you pause and then press play again every few minutes. A good book isn't a single chapter, but a continuation of several 'separate' chapters that weave into one continuous entity. A good lecture is also an integration of many small fragments that weave into a beautiful tapestry or a nakshi kantha. Each 'separate' fragment has its own story to tell.
What about space? Time is simply a preparation to reach and then leave space. To prepare for those few minutes of a lecture, a good teacher needs to prepare to 'visualise' the entire space. Where will the pauses come and go? How much content do I cover? Will the students be able to absorb the content? How do I link today's content with yesterday's and tomorrow's? Yes. You do need to plan a lecture. You can 'probably' get away with one or two extempore performances here and there, but not everywhere! Students are always the best judges of a teacher. It's the students who listen to and read our storybook in the little time we have in the classroom.
The classroom by nature is claustrophobic. Four walls and a roof bound all classrooms. The days of the Guru- Shishya learning underneath a tree are gone. But the power of knowledge and the grace of wisdom can transform that very claustrophobic classroom to become as vast as human imagination. That's the “final frontier”, “to go where no man has ever gone before”!
A good teacher has to be 'very careful' in selecting time and space. Who am I teaching? Who's my audience? What are my limits? Are there any limits at all? If the calculations go wrong the Guru Mashai can easily end up talking to the board and not the class!
[We are] lead by an invisible hand to promote an end, which was no part of [our] intention
- Adam Smith
Competition in labour markets makes universities concentrate on the aptitude of 'average' students. This is the general pattern everywhere. Bangladesh is no exception. If the 'average' quality of the students of an educational institute is good, it sends good signals back to the existing students when they enter the job market. If this 'average' proves to be reliable over time then there won't be adversity in selecting and distinguishing between students of different institutes. The name of the institute itself carries weight in the job market. Employers 'employ' many 'screening' methods to avoid this adverse selection. This 'average' and reliability of this 'average' is what we teachers first target.
The answer my friend, is Blowin' in the wind - Bob Dylan
What about that step Neil Armstrong made- “One step for man, but a great leap for mankind”? As teachers, will we be obsessed by the 'average'? Will market forces dictate our every action and policy? Will the classroom “manufacture” only, and not “create”? If that's the scenario, I'm sorry to say, I'd like to leave this classroom!
Do I have any interest in today's story? Of course I do. As an individual and as a community 'we' are also political animals. But then. Wait. Don't, all political animals need a 'natural habitat' to survive and flourish? Today's 'our' day. So, 'we' better beat 'our' own drums. Like it or not. 'We' are different. In Bangladesh and everywhere!
The pen is mightier than the sword. Wisdom is more powerful than knowledge. A good teacher can make mountains move; the winds change their course; and transform a desert into an oasis. Yes. A good teacher is also a good Alchemist. It's these Alchemists who “create” gifted students in the claustrophobic classroom. These gifted students first move their own society and then mankind forward. This is the society that takes Nazrul's poem from the claustrophobic book into the “final frontier”. That's civilisationnot to be limited by claustrophobia, either spatial or mental. However. For that you need good teachers.
Good teachers are the harvest of social investment and the reflection of the society itself. It's the responsibility of the society to ensure that safe environment and safe 'natural habitat' for its teachers. Once that's done, the rest is just a matter of time. On International Teacher's Day, let's reflect on ensuring a safe environment for our teachers to “teach our children well”. We did it in the past. Why not again?
Asrarul Islam Chowdhury teaches in the departments of economics at Jahangirnagar and North South Universities. Email: asrarul@gmail.com
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
DS Campus 28/Sep/08 My Times at Business Administration, JU
Daily Star Campus
Sunday 28 September 2008
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/09/04/feature_busadmin.htm
My Times at Business Administration, Jahangirnagar
- Asrar Chowdhury
All things must pass
None of life’s strings can last
I must be on my way
And face another day
- George Harrison
Many interesting events in my life have started over a cup of tea or coffee. I was talking with Shuddha Rafiq, a faculty of Business Administration at Jahangirnagar University. The department was facing problem finding a teacher to replace a guest faculty who wasn’t able to take international business. The exams of that batch weren’t too far away. While listening to Shuddha’s saga, I offered to volunteer otherwise the final exams would be delayed. The department agreed to take me on board. Much as I was happy, Shuddha told me the tenth batch I’d be meeting was one of the best in their department. Also I had only 10 weeks to finish the course.
This would be the first time I would be teaching business administration students. Also this would be the first time I would face a non-economics audience. I faced the foundation of all economic analysis- scarcity, the scarcity of time. The first two weeks went on reviewing basic microeconomic concepts. The next eight weeks turned out to be one of the most enjoyable experiences I had with any batch of students. I was surprised at the absorption capacity of the tenth batch. Their willingness to challenge themselves surprised me the most. Shuddha was right. In the last eight weeks we had something like thirty long classes. And guess what? We finished the course on time and also managed to cover the syllabus! It takes two to tango. All this wouldn’t have been possible without the co-operation I received from the tenth batch. And also the co-operation I received from my colleagues who accommodated their schedules for my longer classes.
A few weeks after I finished international business with the tenth batch I again found myself talking with Shuddha over a cup of tea. This time he asked me if I would be willing to take foundational microeconomics and macroeconomics courses in their department. Now. If international business was to help out my colleagues upstairs in the social science faculty building, this offer was one I didn’t want to say no to. Until then I was teaching public finance and microeconomics related courses in Economics, Jahangirnagar to an economics audience, but never to first year students.
The mastery of teaching in any discipline comes when you can properly teach a foundational course in the first year. Once students master the foundational logic of a subject the rest is usually automatic. Until very recently, I never had the opportunity to teach in the first year undergraduate of my own department. Again, I didn’t dishearten Shuddha. Fate had it my luck with foundational microeconomics and macroeconomics would start with the thirteenth batch of the Business Administration Department of Jahangirnagar University.
This time I had time on my side. The semesters in the public universities are usually of six months duration. This allows freedom to concentrate on foundational logic used to explain economic phenomena. I did that. And yes, Samuelson, the second recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics, and his historically successful textbook was the guide. Again, I found myself with another wonderful set of students who were willing to challenge themselves. I let go of myself and wonder like wanderlust.
While teaching the thirteenth batch, I was actually teaching myself. Revisiting foundational concepts made me appreciate what my own all time greatest guru in economics, The Late Mirza Mozammel Huq, taught us many years ago. It was then I started to appreciate economics and how scarcity forms its foundation. In more ways than one, I have to first thank Shuddha for meeting me at the right place at the right moment, but above all I have to thank my students in Business Administration of Jahangirnagar University for making my own foundations in economics stronger than what I thought they were! Mainstream economics is obsessed with the notion of efficiency, a situation where further change isn’t necessary. I always tell my students, in life it’s good to be inefficient. There should always be scope for further change. It’s good to be confused. Confusion is the first step to moving forward towards wisdom.
After the thirteenth batch came the fifteenth and the sixteenth batches. I just concluded my teaching with the sixteenth batch. Unavoidable circumstances restrict further long time involvement with Business Administration at Jahangirnagar University. I would though love to be associated in shorter capacities in future. One of the beauties of the teaching profession lies in the privilege of being able to be associated with young and fresh minds; minds that will one day rule and take Bangladesh forward. As a community we are uniquely placed to prepare the grounds for that dream to become a reality.
I’m writing this piece today to remind all my students the cruelty of scarcity- the cruelty of time. Every good song has to come to an end. Nothing lasts forever. “All things must pass”. And as “I must be on my way and face another day” I look back and see that the wind has blown away my footsteps in the sand. I can’t return back. But then, no scarcity, no time is powerful enough to wipe away the experiences one gains. It’s these experiences that have made me realise, as a student of economics there is some good in being inefficient. It’s this lesson I learned from you all. Thanks!
**********
Disclaimer:
The George Harrison stanza couldn't be accomodated in the printed version because it's almost impossible to squeeze 900+ words in one page!
Sunday 28 September 2008
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/09/04/feature_busadmin.htm
My Times at Business Administration, Jahangirnagar
- Asrar Chowdhury
All things must pass
None of life’s strings can last
I must be on my way
And face another day
- George Harrison
Many interesting events in my life have started over a cup of tea or coffee. I was talking with Shuddha Rafiq, a faculty of Business Administration at Jahangirnagar University. The department was facing problem finding a teacher to replace a guest faculty who wasn’t able to take international business. The exams of that batch weren’t too far away. While listening to Shuddha’s saga, I offered to volunteer otherwise the final exams would be delayed. The department agreed to take me on board. Much as I was happy, Shuddha told me the tenth batch I’d be meeting was one of the best in their department. Also I had only 10 weeks to finish the course.
This would be the first time I would be teaching business administration students. Also this would be the first time I would face a non-economics audience. I faced the foundation of all economic analysis- scarcity, the scarcity of time. The first two weeks went on reviewing basic microeconomic concepts. The next eight weeks turned out to be one of the most enjoyable experiences I had with any batch of students. I was surprised at the absorption capacity of the tenth batch. Their willingness to challenge themselves surprised me the most. Shuddha was right. In the last eight weeks we had something like thirty long classes. And guess what? We finished the course on time and also managed to cover the syllabus! It takes two to tango. All this wouldn’t have been possible without the co-operation I received from the tenth batch. And also the co-operation I received from my colleagues who accommodated their schedules for my longer classes.
A few weeks after I finished international business with the tenth batch I again found myself talking with Shuddha over a cup of tea. This time he asked me if I would be willing to take foundational microeconomics and macroeconomics courses in their department. Now. If international business was to help out my colleagues upstairs in the social science faculty building, this offer was one I didn’t want to say no to. Until then I was teaching public finance and microeconomics related courses in Economics, Jahangirnagar to an economics audience, but never to first year students.
The mastery of teaching in any discipline comes when you can properly teach a foundational course in the first year. Once students master the foundational logic of a subject the rest is usually automatic. Until very recently, I never had the opportunity to teach in the first year undergraduate of my own department. Again, I didn’t dishearten Shuddha. Fate had it my luck with foundational microeconomics and macroeconomics would start with the thirteenth batch of the Business Administration Department of Jahangirnagar University.
This time I had time on my side. The semesters in the public universities are usually of six months duration. This allows freedom to concentrate on foundational logic used to explain economic phenomena. I did that. And yes, Samuelson, the second recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics, and his historically successful textbook was the guide. Again, I found myself with another wonderful set of students who were willing to challenge themselves. I let go of myself and wonder like wanderlust.
While teaching the thirteenth batch, I was actually teaching myself. Revisiting foundational concepts made me appreciate what my own all time greatest guru in economics, The Late Mirza Mozammel Huq, taught us many years ago. It was then I started to appreciate economics and how scarcity forms its foundation. In more ways than one, I have to first thank Shuddha for meeting me at the right place at the right moment, but above all I have to thank my students in Business Administration of Jahangirnagar University for making my own foundations in economics stronger than what I thought they were! Mainstream economics is obsessed with the notion of efficiency, a situation where further change isn’t necessary. I always tell my students, in life it’s good to be inefficient. There should always be scope for further change. It’s good to be confused. Confusion is the first step to moving forward towards wisdom.
After the thirteenth batch came the fifteenth and the sixteenth batches. I just concluded my teaching with the sixteenth batch. Unavoidable circumstances restrict further long time involvement with Business Administration at Jahangirnagar University. I would though love to be associated in shorter capacities in future. One of the beauties of the teaching profession lies in the privilege of being able to be associated with young and fresh minds; minds that will one day rule and take Bangladesh forward. As a community we are uniquely placed to prepare the grounds for that dream to become a reality.
I’m writing this piece today to remind all my students the cruelty of scarcity- the cruelty of time. Every good song has to come to an end. Nothing lasts forever. “All things must pass”. And as “I must be on my way and face another day” I look back and see that the wind has blown away my footsteps in the sand. I can’t return back. But then, no scarcity, no time is powerful enough to wipe away the experiences one gains. It’s these experiences that have made me realise, as a student of economics there is some good in being inefficient. It’s this lesson I learned from you all. Thanks!
**********
Disclaimer:
The George Harrison stanza couldn't be accomodated in the printed version because it's almost impossible to squeeze 900+ words in one page!
DS Campus 03/Aug/08 The Times They Are-A Changin
The times they are a-changin: Revelation in Chittagong
By Asrar Chowdhury
Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/08/01/feature.htm
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'
- Bob Dylan
By Asrar Chowdhury
Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/08/01/feature.htm
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'
- Bob Dylan
MY first encounter with debating at the Theatre Institute in Chittagong is one I won't forget for a long time. I again had the privilege of witnessing debating of Chittagong school students, again at the Theatre Institute organised again by Drishty. This time it was a Bangla debate competition.
It was the closing debate of Drishty's 16th anniversary. The debate followed the British Parliament. Chittagong Collegiate School represented the Government. Chittagong Government High School represented the Opposition. The topic: “Economic backwardness, not political backwardness, is the main reason for Bangladesh not being able to develop forwards”. The Teams based their arguments on theory and empirical evidence to establish what is the cause of our backwardnesseconomics or politics?
Both Parties based their analysis on economists. The Government Party relied on Karl Marx's analysis of capitalism that economic foundations determine the basis of other institutions of a society. The Opposition Party relied on Amartya Sen and his entitlement approach that the right to the access towards a resource determines the right of its use. Indirectly, Sen's analysis of property rights hints towards political dimensions determining economic actions.
It's not a question of which team won. One team has to win. I was once again amazed at the extent of reading the students did. The references they were making gave me a 'false' impression this was a debate of the British Parliament between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The young debaters rightly pointed out the economic and political problems Bangladesh faces. Such maturity at such an early age left me bamboozled. One debater caught my attention, Muttakin Chowdhury, the Leader of the Opposition. I was impressed at him being as cool as a cucumber in tackling 'attacks' from the Government Party. If only we also could learn from this little 'kid'.
I have one observation. Although economic dimensions are a necessity towards development, they aren't a sufficient condition. 'Usually', it's the stability of political institutions that guides a country forward. When we make a statement like A implies B, and if such implication has sufficient empirical evidence, it gives one party an added advantage over the other in a debate. Drishty and other debating clubs may want to consider subject matters that are open-ended.
Real education is 'seldom' learned in the classroom because a classroom is bounded by four walls and a roof. To convert knowledge into wisdom one needs to break the boundaries of the classroom and its roof to look at the Cosmos with no fear of the unknown. This is where I'd like to thank Star Campus in making an 'effort' to identify organisations like Drishty that try to encourage students to go beyond the boundaries of the classroom. It's indeed a pleasure to be associated with Star Campus and meet the talent of tomorrow's Bangladesh.
After my second encounter in Chittagong, I'm optimistic two times round. If something happens once, it doesn't happen twice. If something happens twice, it definitely happens a third time. This is Paulo Coelho's hypothesis in The Alchemist. Following Coelho, something tells me these 'kids' will make a reality out of the dreams of our generation and those before us. “If we can't lend our hand”, we should simply get out of their way, for “the times they are a-changin”!
The writer is a teacher of economics at Jahangirnagar University and North South University. Email: asrarul@gmail.com
It was the closing debate of Drishty's 16th anniversary. The debate followed the British Parliament. Chittagong Collegiate School represented the Government. Chittagong Government High School represented the Opposition. The topic: “Economic backwardness, not political backwardness, is the main reason for Bangladesh not being able to develop forwards”. The Teams based their arguments on theory and empirical evidence to establish what is the cause of our backwardnesseconomics or politics?
Both Parties based their analysis on economists. The Government Party relied on Karl Marx's analysis of capitalism that economic foundations determine the basis of other institutions of a society. The Opposition Party relied on Amartya Sen and his entitlement approach that the right to the access towards a resource determines the right of its use. Indirectly, Sen's analysis of property rights hints towards political dimensions determining economic actions.
It's not a question of which team won. One team has to win. I was once again amazed at the extent of reading the students did. The references they were making gave me a 'false' impression this was a debate of the British Parliament between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The young debaters rightly pointed out the economic and political problems Bangladesh faces. Such maturity at such an early age left me bamboozled. One debater caught my attention, Muttakin Chowdhury, the Leader of the Opposition. I was impressed at him being as cool as a cucumber in tackling 'attacks' from the Government Party. If only we also could learn from this little 'kid'.
I have one observation. Although economic dimensions are a necessity towards development, they aren't a sufficient condition. 'Usually', it's the stability of political institutions that guides a country forward. When we make a statement like A implies B, and if such implication has sufficient empirical evidence, it gives one party an added advantage over the other in a debate. Drishty and other debating clubs may want to consider subject matters that are open-ended.
Real education is 'seldom' learned in the classroom because a classroom is bounded by four walls and a roof. To convert knowledge into wisdom one needs to break the boundaries of the classroom and its roof to look at the Cosmos with no fear of the unknown. This is where I'd like to thank Star Campus in making an 'effort' to identify organisations like Drishty that try to encourage students to go beyond the boundaries of the classroom. It's indeed a pleasure to be associated with Star Campus and meet the talent of tomorrow's Bangladesh.
After my second encounter in Chittagong, I'm optimistic two times round. If something happens once, it doesn't happen twice. If something happens twice, it definitely happens a third time. This is Paulo Coelho's hypothesis in The Alchemist. Following Coelho, something tells me these 'kids' will make a reality out of the dreams of our generation and those before us. “If we can't lend our hand”, we should simply get out of their way, for “the times they are a-changin”!
The writer is a teacher of economics at Jahangirnagar University and North South University. Email: asrarul@gmail.com
Star Campus 08/Jun/08 Rays of hope clouds of scepticism
Daily Star
Star Campus
Sun 8 June 2008
Feature
Rays of hope, clouds of scepticism Experience at a debate in Chittagong
Asrar Chowdhury
Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/06/02/feature_hope.htm
I happened to be at the right place at the right timein Chittagong, attending the final session of a debate competition organised by Drishti and AKTEL. Star Campus was the media partner. The venue was the Theatre Institute. I was happy to see a good institute patronising art and culture outside Dhaka.
There were two groupsschools and universities. When I entered the auditorium, the school students were debating on the relevance and irrelevance of the United Nations. Each contestant represented a particular country. I listened carefully. I soon lost my sense of time and space.
Good things don't last too long. The debate finished! Then came the university students. That debate finished, but to my relief, the school boys and girls returned for the final debatethe girls of Bay View School versus the boys of Cider International School. The format of the debate followed the British Parliament. The subject: "Bangladesh has progressed backward since independence" seemed biased against the girls, but that's beside the point.
That entire debate still seems like a picture card flashing in front of my eyes. It was evident both teams had done their homework. I was blown to smithereens. The way the youngsters were presenting their arguments, finding gaps in the opponent's arguments and counter attacking each other left me speechless. The next generation was setting examples not only for themselves, but also for us to reflect back on ourselves. The team-leaders, Maliha Ahmed and Shafkat Fahmid amazed me the most. If Maliha and Shafkat are a sample of debating boys and girls of today's Chittagong, we should all hold our breath.
And, if these young debaters represent the next generation of Bangladesh, I see nothing but rays of hope. These youngsters will fill in and grow out of our shoes to take Bangladesh to her rightful place on the world stage. This is all I can pray and hope for. But then…
As I was leaving the Theatre Institute, I was telling myself, if historical evidence is anything to go by, would "we" be able to leave a stage for the next generation to perform on? I'm sceptic, but then I have been proved wrong many times before and would love to be proved wrong once more!
(Asrarul Islam Chowdhury teaches economics at Jahangirnagar University and North South University. asrarul@gmail.com)
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
Star Campus
Sun 8 June 2008
Feature
Rays of hope, clouds of scepticism Experience at a debate in Chittagong
Asrar Chowdhury
Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/06/02/feature_hope.htm
I happened to be at the right place at the right timein Chittagong, attending the final session of a debate competition organised by Drishti and AKTEL. Star Campus was the media partner. The venue was the Theatre Institute. I was happy to see a good institute patronising art and culture outside Dhaka.
There were two groupsschools and universities. When I entered the auditorium, the school students were debating on the relevance and irrelevance of the United Nations. Each contestant represented a particular country. I listened carefully. I soon lost my sense of time and space.
Good things don't last too long. The debate finished! Then came the university students. That debate finished, but to my relief, the school boys and girls returned for the final debatethe girls of Bay View School versus the boys of Cider International School. The format of the debate followed the British Parliament. The subject: "Bangladesh has progressed backward since independence" seemed biased against the girls, but that's beside the point.
That entire debate still seems like a picture card flashing in front of my eyes. It was evident both teams had done their homework. I was blown to smithereens. The way the youngsters were presenting their arguments, finding gaps in the opponent's arguments and counter attacking each other left me speechless. The next generation was setting examples not only for themselves, but also for us to reflect back on ourselves. The team-leaders, Maliha Ahmed and Shafkat Fahmid amazed me the most. If Maliha and Shafkat are a sample of debating boys and girls of today's Chittagong, we should all hold our breath.
And, if these young debaters represent the next generation of Bangladesh, I see nothing but rays of hope. These youngsters will fill in and grow out of our shoes to take Bangladesh to her rightful place on the world stage. This is all I can pray and hope for. But then…
As I was leaving the Theatre Institute, I was telling myself, if historical evidence is anything to go by, would "we" be able to leave a stage for the next generation to perform on? I'm sceptic, but then I have been proved wrong many times before and would love to be proved wrong once more!
(Asrarul Islam Chowdhury teaches economics at Jahangirnagar University and North South University. asrarul@gmail.com)
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
DS Campus 01/Jun/08 Open ended dialogue with UGC Chair
Star Campus
Daily Star
Sunday 1 June 2008
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/06/01/camspotlight.htm
Spotlight: Open ended dialogue with UGC Chair
*******
Open ended dialogue with UGC Chair
By Asrar Chowdhury
It was Monday 26 May 2008. The venue was the office of The Daily Star. Star Campus, a weekly publication of The Daily Star, arranged a new and innovative concept for a policy maker to talk and share views with direct beneficiaries. University students from both institutions public and private were waiting eagerly. They were waiting to share their views with the chief executive of the overseeing body of all universities in Bangladesh, the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prof. Nazrul Islam. It was a rare and wonderful opportunity for all who were present that afternoon in the Conference Room of The Daily Star.
Professor Nazrul Islam came at 4:15pm. In spite of the incessant rain outside, the room was almost full by then. Shahnoor Wahid, on behalf of The Daily Star introduced the distinguished guest with the floor. From the moment go, the talk was informal. This feature describes the talk session between the Professor and the students.
Professor Islam started with an introduction on what the UGC is and what its responsibilities include. The UGC was established in 1973. It is the statutory apex body for higher education in Bangladesh. It oversees 29 public universities; around 1800 colleges under the National University; the Bangladesh Open University; and 51 private universities. The UGC is responsible for supervising, maintaining, promoting and co-ordinating university education. The body further oversees the standard and quality of university education. The UGC determines standards of quality of the teachers and also the minimum grade a university applicant has to have for admission in private universities. UGC is also responsible for distributing government funds to universities in the public sector.
The final responsibility of the UGC is to create an environment where universities in Bangladesh will be a centre for both quality education and a seat of knowledge creation and extension. This principal objective of the UGC started the debate between the Professor and the students.
The problem with university education in Bangladesh probably lies in the classic dilemma of quantity and quality control. University education is viewed as a social good. Not going into the finesse of definitions, a social good is simply a good that a society desires. Historically, social goods have been provided by the society, i.e., the State. Until 1992, this has been the scenario in Bangladesh with university education.
In spite of all our efforts, only 4 percent of the university going population (18-25 years) is currently enrolled in a university in Bangladesh. This figure is 13 percent for India and Pakistan and as high as 40 percent for Thailand. Even then, Bangladesh struggles with those who do enroll. In absolute figures, the public universities accommodate approximately 1,50,000 students; the National University another 800,000; and the Open University another 250,000. All the private universities accommodate around 1,30,000 students.
In spite of funds from the Government, public universities lack adequate funding and adequate infrastructure (physical and non-physical). Remuneration of teachers is low compared to their alternative in the private sector. Not receiving “efficiency wage”, teachers in the public sector are sometimes forced to look for part-time employment in the private sector. Professor Islam stressed on a mechanism to attract quality teachers in the public sector and create a secure environment. Students from public universities stressed on a mechanism whereby there is a limit to involvement of public sector teachers in the private sector.
Public universities have limited access and limited scope to raise finance outside funds generated from the Government.
Tuition fees in the public sector aren't rationalised by markets. Public universities, being a “social good”, are also obliged to provide transport; housing to students, faculty and staff; and other facilities besides education. It is true social goods like education usually generate positive external benefits for the society. It's also true such services aren't free and sooner or later will stress the coffer. Further dilemmas arise because increasing fees isn't socially or politically acceptable at times. Professor Islam stressed that the time has probably come that we debate on ways to find how public universities can achieve some kind of financial autonomy. Any policy, however, has to be somewhere in between a market and a social solution. The debate pointed to donations from generous citizens and alumni. This is a practice observed in even the richest universities in the world, Oxford, and Cambridge just to name a few.
Private universities face a different set of problems. Since private universities have to raise funds from own sources, they tend to emphasise subjects that have more of a market value than only a social value. They also tend to locate predominantly in Dhaka and/or where more affluent families live. Tuition fees can burden the budgets of the parents. High tuition fees can also totally discourage genuine meritorious students from the thought of applying for admission in a good private university. Professor Islam stressed that private universities should try to charge fees that are more socially acceptable. The UGC can come forward in debating ways to do so.
Although tuition fees in the public sector are extremely low, maintenance allowance can put burden on students and their families. Professor Islam stressed that both public and private universities should fund the full education of the truly meritorious students as much as possible so the truly meritorious need not worry about tuition fees and maintenance. Everybody appreciated this.
The discussion then went towards the grading policy. The grading policy differs between public and private universities and across public and private universities. It even varies within the same university and sometimes within the same department of a university. This sends mixed signals to the job market. Professor Islam mentioned that the UGC is trying to move towards a common grading policy for all universities in Bangladesh. Although the market has its own mechanism of finding which 'product' from which university or department 'could' be better in the job market, Professor Islam stressed on finding a method to rank universities and also departments and programmes of universities. We can learn from the experience of many countries where ranking exists.
A common grading policy took the discussion towards a common admission test. Public university students raised this issue. Students came up with the argument that if medical colleges in Bangladesh can have a common admission test, why not all public universities too? This would save time, money and hassle on students and their families. Professor Islam noted this as 'food for thought'.
The inevitable problem with public universities soon surfaced session jam and politicisation of the university administration. Professor Islam made one thing very clearall citizens have the right to express their political views, whether they are students or the teachers. Nevertheless, having said so, an institutional arrangement has to be reached where such political expression doesn't hamper academic activities of universities anywhere in Bangladesh. Things can't and won't change overnight, but Professor Islam assured that the UGC and the government are concerned about the issue just as much as are most teachers, students and guardians.
The talk then slowly focussed on quality of education. Although the UGC is an overseer of the quality of university education in Bangladesh, it's ultimately the universities themselves who have to address the issue.
This can be done through university associations and other formal platforms through periodic reviews. The civil society, other bodies and especially the media can also play positive roles. The government can also play its role towards both public and private universities. The UGC is exploring ways on how private universities can also receive funds from the Government. It's also high time we all think about providing e-library facilities in all universities with access to the Internet. Bangladesh can no longer afford the luxury of remaining immune from technological advantages that the Internet can offer.
A university is not only a seat of teaching, but also a centre for knowledge creation and knowledge extension. This is where both public and private universities have to come forward together. There are many good academics in public and private universities who are publishing in international journals and doing wonderful researches without patronage from their own universities. There are also wonderful teachers in public and private universities who are teaching for the love of the profession without caring much for any personal benefit. While mentioning this, Professor Islam stressed we have to have the heart to at least acknowledge these great minds, if not anything else. A light of hope came when the Professor mentioned the UGC is thinking on how to address this issue.
Universities in Bangladesh have the potential to specialise and expand graduate teaching through research. With guidance and assistance from the State or generous citizens and other philanthropic institutions, it is possible for universities in Bangladesh to expand their MPhil and PhD programmes. With some initiative it's very much possible for universities to develop link programmes with universities outside Bangladesh. This can address the brain drain problem and also save resources that would have been spent elsewhere.
The American economist Alchian once said, a society that proceeds is a society that allows scope for trial and error. Although Alchian never specified what 'trial and error' means, a civilised society proceeds through trial and error by debating. Through debates come new ideas. Through new ideas the time comes to realise old concepts have to make room for the new if the society wants to proceed forward. A debate becomes productive when institutions and their beneficiaries sit together as friends to exchange views and learn from each other.
The dialogue at the Daily Star that day was unique. Public and private university students met with one common goal to discuss how to improve university education in Bangladesh. The dialogue became a blue moon because they interacted directly with Professor Nazrul Islam. The Professor set an example for our policy makers. Good things can come out through dialogue and debate with direct beneficiaries of a service. After just three hours on the dot, Shahnoor Wahid wrapped up the fruitful interactive session. He thanked the distinguished guest on behalf of The Daly Star for taking time out of his busy schedule. He also thanked the students for braving the inclement weather to be here that afternoon.
The audience had nothing to offer but appreciation and a big round of applause. Those who were present in that room that day will tell, the applause came from the hearts of the future generation of Bangladesh that was inspired by a person from the previous generation. Everybody left the room to get back into the rain, but everybody left with 'food for thought' from the wonderful dialogue. Even the Professor!
(Students came from Dhaka University, BUET, Jahangirnagar University, Chittagong University, Khulna University, AUST, NSU, IUB, Stamford University, Victoria University, BRACU, Jahurul Islam Medical College, UODA, Dhaka College)
(Asrarul Islam Chowdhury teaches economics at Jahangirnagar, and North South Universities)
******
An adda at Star Campus
By Tahsin Mashroof Hossain
Being an undergraduate student in Bangladesh, can you imagine yourself sitting right next to the UGC Chairman, Prof. Nazrul Islam telling him this and that? Well, I actually did so! On 26th May I enjoyed such an opportunity at the Daily Star office where more than 50 students from both public and private universities sat on the same platform to exchange their views with Professor Nazrul Islam. In the stories of the 1,001 Arabian Nights I used to read as a child that the mighty Sultans sometimes called common people for face-to-face conversation. I found my experience quite similar to that. Being just an undergraduate student I was literally sitting beside the “Big-Boss” of university education in Bangladesh!
My experience at the dialogue was quite different from what I had expected. Professor Islam is so senior to us and holds such a distinguished position. I thought he would be extra cautious and might not welcome our ideas or open up sufficiently. To my utter surprise, I found him exactly the opposite. Apart from discussing general issues like the duties of the UGC and listening to our thoughts, he even came up with some of his own ideas, which I found fascinating. For example, it was quite amazing to hear him saying- “Providing a topstudent with full tuition waiver is not enough.
We must make sure that s/he can enjoy little luxuries like watching a movie, or buying a nice T-shirt.” At the SAARC Meeting of the UGC Chairmen he proposed maintaining a minimum requirement of professional degrees equal throughout the region. If this is successful, it will create easy entrance for South Asians in job markets of SAARC. This would open up doors for all countries of the SAARC. Professor Islam also stressed that all university students should engage in community work to give back something to the common people who indirectly pay for their studies. All of us listened excitedly to Professor Islam
As students from both the public and private universities were present, the pros and cons of both the institutions were discussed. What I liked most about Professor Islam is that he encouraged us to interact with each other more frequently to come out of stereotyped conceptions.
His down-to-earth manners and well-chosen words inspired us to be united despite our tiny differences and emulate what his generation did in 1971. However, this time giving birth to an economically emancipated Bangladesh.
(Final Year Undergraduate Department of Economics , North South University)
All photos by Shafiqul Alam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Professor Nazrul Islam
Chairman, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC)
Professor Nazrul Islam was born at Shariatpur in 1941. He was educated at Nawabpur Government High School, Dhaka College, and Universities of Dhaka, Western Ontario and London. Professor Islam served as a faculty in the Department of Geography at the University of Dhaka from 1963 till 2007. Meanwhile, he taught at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and has been a visiting scholar at universities and research institutes in the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and India. Professor Islam has been the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) from 7 May 2007.
Professor Islam is one of the leading urban researchers in Bangladesh. He is the founder and honourary chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS). He was the Chairman of the Dhaka WASA. He is the life member of many reputed national and international scholarly bodies. He has authored or co-authored more than 25 books and has printed solo or in collaboration in more than 100 articles in international journals. He is also an eminent art critique. Professor Islam is married and has two daughters.
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
Daily Star
Sunday 1 June 2008
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/06/01/camspotlight.htm
Spotlight: Open ended dialogue with UGC Chair
*******
Open ended dialogue with UGC Chair
By Asrar Chowdhury
It was Monday 26 May 2008. The venue was the office of The Daily Star. Star Campus, a weekly publication of The Daily Star, arranged a new and innovative concept for a policy maker to talk and share views with direct beneficiaries. University students from both institutions public and private were waiting eagerly. They were waiting to share their views with the chief executive of the overseeing body of all universities in Bangladesh, the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prof. Nazrul Islam. It was a rare and wonderful opportunity for all who were present that afternoon in the Conference Room of The Daily Star.
Professor Nazrul Islam came at 4:15pm. In spite of the incessant rain outside, the room was almost full by then. Shahnoor Wahid, on behalf of The Daily Star introduced the distinguished guest with the floor. From the moment go, the talk was informal. This feature describes the talk session between the Professor and the students.
Professor Islam started with an introduction on what the UGC is and what its responsibilities include. The UGC was established in 1973. It is the statutory apex body for higher education in Bangladesh. It oversees 29 public universities; around 1800 colleges under the National University; the Bangladesh Open University; and 51 private universities. The UGC is responsible for supervising, maintaining, promoting and co-ordinating university education. The body further oversees the standard and quality of university education. The UGC determines standards of quality of the teachers and also the minimum grade a university applicant has to have for admission in private universities. UGC is also responsible for distributing government funds to universities in the public sector.
The final responsibility of the UGC is to create an environment where universities in Bangladesh will be a centre for both quality education and a seat of knowledge creation and extension. This principal objective of the UGC started the debate between the Professor and the students.
The problem with university education in Bangladesh probably lies in the classic dilemma of quantity and quality control. University education is viewed as a social good. Not going into the finesse of definitions, a social good is simply a good that a society desires. Historically, social goods have been provided by the society, i.e., the State. Until 1992, this has been the scenario in Bangladesh with university education.
In spite of all our efforts, only 4 percent of the university going population (18-25 years) is currently enrolled in a university in Bangladesh. This figure is 13 percent for India and Pakistan and as high as 40 percent for Thailand. Even then, Bangladesh struggles with those who do enroll. In absolute figures, the public universities accommodate approximately 1,50,000 students; the National University another 800,000; and the Open University another 250,000. All the private universities accommodate around 1,30,000 students.
In spite of funds from the Government, public universities lack adequate funding and adequate infrastructure (physical and non-physical). Remuneration of teachers is low compared to their alternative in the private sector. Not receiving “efficiency wage”, teachers in the public sector are sometimes forced to look for part-time employment in the private sector. Professor Islam stressed on a mechanism to attract quality teachers in the public sector and create a secure environment. Students from public universities stressed on a mechanism whereby there is a limit to involvement of public sector teachers in the private sector.
Public universities have limited access and limited scope to raise finance outside funds generated from the Government.
Tuition fees in the public sector aren't rationalised by markets. Public universities, being a “social good”, are also obliged to provide transport; housing to students, faculty and staff; and other facilities besides education. It is true social goods like education usually generate positive external benefits for the society. It's also true such services aren't free and sooner or later will stress the coffer. Further dilemmas arise because increasing fees isn't socially or politically acceptable at times. Professor Islam stressed that the time has probably come that we debate on ways to find how public universities can achieve some kind of financial autonomy. Any policy, however, has to be somewhere in between a market and a social solution. The debate pointed to donations from generous citizens and alumni. This is a practice observed in even the richest universities in the world, Oxford, and Cambridge just to name a few.
Private universities face a different set of problems. Since private universities have to raise funds from own sources, they tend to emphasise subjects that have more of a market value than only a social value. They also tend to locate predominantly in Dhaka and/or where more affluent families live. Tuition fees can burden the budgets of the parents. High tuition fees can also totally discourage genuine meritorious students from the thought of applying for admission in a good private university. Professor Islam stressed that private universities should try to charge fees that are more socially acceptable. The UGC can come forward in debating ways to do so.
Although tuition fees in the public sector are extremely low, maintenance allowance can put burden on students and their families. Professor Islam stressed that both public and private universities should fund the full education of the truly meritorious students as much as possible so the truly meritorious need not worry about tuition fees and maintenance. Everybody appreciated this.
The discussion then went towards the grading policy. The grading policy differs between public and private universities and across public and private universities. It even varies within the same university and sometimes within the same department of a university. This sends mixed signals to the job market. Professor Islam mentioned that the UGC is trying to move towards a common grading policy for all universities in Bangladesh. Although the market has its own mechanism of finding which 'product' from which university or department 'could' be better in the job market, Professor Islam stressed on finding a method to rank universities and also departments and programmes of universities. We can learn from the experience of many countries where ranking exists.
A common grading policy took the discussion towards a common admission test. Public university students raised this issue. Students came up with the argument that if medical colleges in Bangladesh can have a common admission test, why not all public universities too? This would save time, money and hassle on students and their families. Professor Islam noted this as 'food for thought'.
The inevitable problem with public universities soon surfaced session jam and politicisation of the university administration. Professor Islam made one thing very clearall citizens have the right to express their political views, whether they are students or the teachers. Nevertheless, having said so, an institutional arrangement has to be reached where such political expression doesn't hamper academic activities of universities anywhere in Bangladesh. Things can't and won't change overnight, but Professor Islam assured that the UGC and the government are concerned about the issue just as much as are most teachers, students and guardians.
The talk then slowly focussed on quality of education. Although the UGC is an overseer of the quality of university education in Bangladesh, it's ultimately the universities themselves who have to address the issue.
This can be done through university associations and other formal platforms through periodic reviews. The civil society, other bodies and especially the media can also play positive roles. The government can also play its role towards both public and private universities. The UGC is exploring ways on how private universities can also receive funds from the Government. It's also high time we all think about providing e-library facilities in all universities with access to the Internet. Bangladesh can no longer afford the luxury of remaining immune from technological advantages that the Internet can offer.
A university is not only a seat of teaching, but also a centre for knowledge creation and knowledge extension. This is where both public and private universities have to come forward together. There are many good academics in public and private universities who are publishing in international journals and doing wonderful researches without patronage from their own universities. There are also wonderful teachers in public and private universities who are teaching for the love of the profession without caring much for any personal benefit. While mentioning this, Professor Islam stressed we have to have the heart to at least acknowledge these great minds, if not anything else. A light of hope came when the Professor mentioned the UGC is thinking on how to address this issue.
Universities in Bangladesh have the potential to specialise and expand graduate teaching through research. With guidance and assistance from the State or generous citizens and other philanthropic institutions, it is possible for universities in Bangladesh to expand their MPhil and PhD programmes. With some initiative it's very much possible for universities to develop link programmes with universities outside Bangladesh. This can address the brain drain problem and also save resources that would have been spent elsewhere.
The American economist Alchian once said, a society that proceeds is a society that allows scope for trial and error. Although Alchian never specified what 'trial and error' means, a civilised society proceeds through trial and error by debating. Through debates come new ideas. Through new ideas the time comes to realise old concepts have to make room for the new if the society wants to proceed forward. A debate becomes productive when institutions and their beneficiaries sit together as friends to exchange views and learn from each other.
The dialogue at the Daily Star that day was unique. Public and private university students met with one common goal to discuss how to improve university education in Bangladesh. The dialogue became a blue moon because they interacted directly with Professor Nazrul Islam. The Professor set an example for our policy makers. Good things can come out through dialogue and debate with direct beneficiaries of a service. After just three hours on the dot, Shahnoor Wahid wrapped up the fruitful interactive session. He thanked the distinguished guest on behalf of The Daly Star for taking time out of his busy schedule. He also thanked the students for braving the inclement weather to be here that afternoon.
The audience had nothing to offer but appreciation and a big round of applause. Those who were present in that room that day will tell, the applause came from the hearts of the future generation of Bangladesh that was inspired by a person from the previous generation. Everybody left the room to get back into the rain, but everybody left with 'food for thought' from the wonderful dialogue. Even the Professor!
(Students came from Dhaka University, BUET, Jahangirnagar University, Chittagong University, Khulna University, AUST, NSU, IUB, Stamford University, Victoria University, BRACU, Jahurul Islam Medical College, UODA, Dhaka College)
(Asrarul Islam Chowdhury teaches economics at Jahangirnagar, and North South Universities)
******
An adda at Star Campus
By Tahsin Mashroof Hossain
Being an undergraduate student in Bangladesh, can you imagine yourself sitting right next to the UGC Chairman, Prof. Nazrul Islam telling him this and that? Well, I actually did so! On 26th May I enjoyed such an opportunity at the Daily Star office where more than 50 students from both public and private universities sat on the same platform to exchange their views with Professor Nazrul Islam. In the stories of the 1,001 Arabian Nights I used to read as a child that the mighty Sultans sometimes called common people for face-to-face conversation. I found my experience quite similar to that. Being just an undergraduate student I was literally sitting beside the “Big-Boss” of university education in Bangladesh!
My experience at the dialogue was quite different from what I had expected. Professor Islam is so senior to us and holds such a distinguished position. I thought he would be extra cautious and might not welcome our ideas or open up sufficiently. To my utter surprise, I found him exactly the opposite. Apart from discussing general issues like the duties of the UGC and listening to our thoughts, he even came up with some of his own ideas, which I found fascinating. For example, it was quite amazing to hear him saying- “Providing a topstudent with full tuition waiver is not enough.
We must make sure that s/he can enjoy little luxuries like watching a movie, or buying a nice T-shirt.” At the SAARC Meeting of the UGC Chairmen he proposed maintaining a minimum requirement of professional degrees equal throughout the region. If this is successful, it will create easy entrance for South Asians in job markets of SAARC. This would open up doors for all countries of the SAARC. Professor Islam also stressed that all university students should engage in community work to give back something to the common people who indirectly pay for their studies. All of us listened excitedly to Professor Islam
As students from both the public and private universities were present, the pros and cons of both the institutions were discussed. What I liked most about Professor Islam is that he encouraged us to interact with each other more frequently to come out of stereotyped conceptions.
His down-to-earth manners and well-chosen words inspired us to be united despite our tiny differences and emulate what his generation did in 1971. However, this time giving birth to an economically emancipated Bangladesh.
(Final Year Undergraduate Department of Economics , North South University)
All photos by Shafiqul Alam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Professor Nazrul Islam
Chairman, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC)
Professor Nazrul Islam was born at Shariatpur in 1941. He was educated at Nawabpur Government High School, Dhaka College, and Universities of Dhaka, Western Ontario and London. Professor Islam served as a faculty in the Department of Geography at the University of Dhaka from 1963 till 2007. Meanwhile, he taught at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and has been a visiting scholar at universities and research institutes in the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and India. Professor Islam has been the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) from 7 May 2007.
Professor Islam is one of the leading urban researchers in Bangladesh. He is the founder and honourary chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS). He was the Chairman of the Dhaka WASA. He is the life member of many reputed national and international scholarly bodies. He has authored or co-authored more than 25 books and has printed solo or in collaboration in more than 100 articles in international journals. He is also an eminent art critique. Professor Islam is married and has two daughters.
Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2008
Our paths may differ, but our destination is the same. DS23-03-08
Our paths may differ, but our destination is the same
By Asrar Chowdhury
Daily Star
Star Campus
Sunday 23 March 2008 (pp 10-11)
Independence Day Issue
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/03/04/camspotlight_paths.htm
Spotlight
Our paths may differ, but our destination is the same
There's so much time to make up
Everywhere you turn
Time we have wasted on the way
-- Graham Nash, Wasted on the way
The Indian Statesman, Gopal Krishna Gokhale once said, “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow”. Small wonder. In Nobel Prizes alone, Bengal as a region has produced four laureatesRabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, Amartya Sen, and Muhammad Yunus. That's more than any other region in the entire sub-continent. What a contrast when one sees through another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
Modern day Bengal in Bangladesh was known as a bottomless basket in the 1970s, and the most corrupt nation in the final years of the twentieth century. What a grand way to finish off an old and start a new millennium! An even more contrast when one sees through another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
1971. In just 266 days, three million people sacrificed their lives to create a flag, a country, a ten-lettered word, BANGLADESH. This is just the human price Bangladesh paid for her freedom. Arithmetically, this stands at 7.83 lives per minute! Whichever side of the fence one belongs to, the absolute is clear. Bangladesh was born out of one of the bloodiest genocides in history.
It's the absolute, not the relative that makes Bangladesh so unique. It's here that our paths converge. It's here that our destination is the same. Here's another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
Did you know there's something like 32 variations in our folk music? Did you know that our Bhatiyali is based on the classical Khamwaj Raga? When most nations can show mostly qudratonic or pentatonic folk music, our Bhatiyali comes with a white rabbit from the magician's hat with a sampurna raga that includes all seven notes of the octave.
How many regions are there in this world where each season has its unique flowers, fruits and vegetables? And each season can boast a variety that matches the seven colours of the rainbow? Not too many. Bangladesh is truly unique in this rare league of nations.
If you didn't know the above, you do now.
It's only recently that the world is slowly finding out about Cox's Bazaar and the Sundarbans. For rightful reasons, these natural treasures should be included in the seven natural wonders of the world.
The list that has started can truly go on and on till the wee hours of the dawn. But that's not the objective of this story. The objective is to show that it's in the absolute, not the relative where our paths converge; our destination becomes the same. Yet another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
The greatest mystique poet of all times, Sheikh Jalaluddin Rumi wrote a powerful prose in his Table Talk. Rumi describes a pilgrimage. The pilgrims come from all different directions to the pilgrimage. They face different hardships on their way. Each different group has different stories to tell. After they finish offering their different souls to the altar they start to quarrel. Each different group argues that their path was the best and the hardest to the pilgrimage. All these relative arguments fail to see and appreciate the absolute. It's here that Rumi smiles with all his spirituality and Sufi wisdom. The pilgrims fail to see that their different paths lead them to the same destination, the pilgrimage where they all offered their souls to the same Creator. Rumi reminds us, our paths may differ, but our destination is the same.
On 26 March 2008, Bangladesh will complete 37 years of her existence as an Independent State. We live maximum seven to eight decades as humans, but societies live on for centuries. This is why 37 years isn't really that much time in a nation's history. Social changes can sometimes take decades or even centuries to accomplish into maturity. This is still not the objective of the story. The objective of this story is Rumi and his Sufi wisdom.
In the 37 years of our short existence we've debated one issue after another. We've failed to see what lies beneath our nose. The paths of the Brahmaputra, the Padma, and the Meghna differ, but they do meet. They meet at a common destination- The Bay of Bengal. No matter how different our paths may be, they meet at a common destination-Bangladesh.
There's so much water moving underneath the bridge
Let the water come and carry us away
-- Graham Nash, Wasted on the way
It took 214 years from Palassey in 1757 to reach Bangladesh in 1971. Many generations before us played their roles to give us a common stage to perform on; a stage called Bangladesh. The mantle of the soul and spirit of Bangladesh now rests on the shoulders of the generation of the Campus. It's this young generation that will, hopefully, take Bangladesh to her rightful place in the world stage.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale didn't make his observation from emptiness or for nothing. Many before him had inklings on the potential of Bengal and Bangladesh. Many still do. I happen to be one of them. It is true that we could have achieved more. It's also true that we do have achievements to show. Bangladesh isn't a bottomless basket. We have many unique things to show. Some of them have been shown here.
This story is a food for thought for the Campus. The generation that will take Bangladesh forward when we won't be around. Then we'll see through your eyes, speak through your minds and love through your hearts; like others have done through us and through many before us. The beauty of your generation is the greatest power of youth.
No matter how different our paths may be, our destination is the sameBangladesh. Whatever time we've wasted on the way, may the mighty waters of the Brahmaputra, the Padma, and the Meghna come and carry us away to the Bay of Bengal.
Shubho Shwadhinata Dibosh!
Asrarul Chowdhury teaches economics at Jahangirnagar, and North South University.
By Asrar Chowdhury
Daily Star
Star Campus
Sunday 23 March 2008 (pp 10-11)
Independence Day Issue
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/03/04/camspotlight_paths.htm
Spotlight
Our paths may differ, but our destination is the same
There's so much time to make up
Everywhere you turn
Time we have wasted on the way
-- Graham Nash, Wasted on the way
The Indian Statesman, Gopal Krishna Gokhale once said, “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow”. Small wonder. In Nobel Prizes alone, Bengal as a region has produced four laureatesRabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, Amartya Sen, and Muhammad Yunus. That's more than any other region in the entire sub-continent. What a contrast when one sees through another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
Modern day Bengal in Bangladesh was known as a bottomless basket in the 1970s, and the most corrupt nation in the final years of the twentieth century. What a grand way to finish off an old and start a new millennium! An even more contrast when one sees through another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
1971. In just 266 days, three million people sacrificed their lives to create a flag, a country, a ten-lettered word, BANGLADESH. This is just the human price Bangladesh paid for her freedom. Arithmetically, this stands at 7.83 lives per minute! Whichever side of the fence one belongs to, the absolute is clear. Bangladesh was born out of one of the bloodiest genocides in history.
It's the absolute, not the relative that makes Bangladesh so unique. It's here that our paths converge. It's here that our destination is the same. Here's another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
Did you know there's something like 32 variations in our folk music? Did you know that our Bhatiyali is based on the classical Khamwaj Raga? When most nations can show mostly qudratonic or pentatonic folk music, our Bhatiyali comes with a white rabbit from the magician's hat with a sampurna raga that includes all seven notes of the octave.
How many regions are there in this world where each season has its unique flowers, fruits and vegetables? And each season can boast a variety that matches the seven colours of the rainbow? Not too many. Bangladesh is truly unique in this rare league of nations.
If you didn't know the above, you do now.
It's only recently that the world is slowly finding out about Cox's Bazaar and the Sundarbans. For rightful reasons, these natural treasures should be included in the seven natural wonders of the world.
The list that has started can truly go on and on till the wee hours of the dawn. But that's not the objective of this story. The objective is to show that it's in the absolute, not the relative where our paths converge; our destination becomes the same. Yet another angle of the kaleidoscopic prism.
The greatest mystique poet of all times, Sheikh Jalaluddin Rumi wrote a powerful prose in his Table Talk. Rumi describes a pilgrimage. The pilgrims come from all different directions to the pilgrimage. They face different hardships on their way. Each different group has different stories to tell. After they finish offering their different souls to the altar they start to quarrel. Each different group argues that their path was the best and the hardest to the pilgrimage. All these relative arguments fail to see and appreciate the absolute. It's here that Rumi smiles with all his spirituality and Sufi wisdom. The pilgrims fail to see that their different paths lead them to the same destination, the pilgrimage where they all offered their souls to the same Creator. Rumi reminds us, our paths may differ, but our destination is the same.
On 26 March 2008, Bangladesh will complete 37 years of her existence as an Independent State. We live maximum seven to eight decades as humans, but societies live on for centuries. This is why 37 years isn't really that much time in a nation's history. Social changes can sometimes take decades or even centuries to accomplish into maturity. This is still not the objective of the story. The objective of this story is Rumi and his Sufi wisdom.
In the 37 years of our short existence we've debated one issue after another. We've failed to see what lies beneath our nose. The paths of the Brahmaputra, the Padma, and the Meghna differ, but they do meet. They meet at a common destination- The Bay of Bengal. No matter how different our paths may be, they meet at a common destination-Bangladesh.
There's so much water moving underneath the bridge
Let the water come and carry us away
-- Graham Nash, Wasted on the way
It took 214 years from Palassey in 1757 to reach Bangladesh in 1971. Many generations before us played their roles to give us a common stage to perform on; a stage called Bangladesh. The mantle of the soul and spirit of Bangladesh now rests on the shoulders of the generation of the Campus. It's this young generation that will, hopefully, take Bangladesh to her rightful place in the world stage.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale didn't make his observation from emptiness or for nothing. Many before him had inklings on the potential of Bengal and Bangladesh. Many still do. I happen to be one of them. It is true that we could have achieved more. It's also true that we do have achievements to show. Bangladesh isn't a bottomless basket. We have many unique things to show. Some of them have been shown here.
This story is a food for thought for the Campus. The generation that will take Bangladesh forward when we won't be around. Then we'll see through your eyes, speak through your minds and love through your hearts; like others have done through us and through many before us. The beauty of your generation is the greatest power of youth.
No matter how different our paths may be, our destination is the sameBangladesh. Whatever time we've wasted on the way, may the mighty waters of the Brahmaputra, the Padma, and the Meghna come and carry us away to the Bay of Bengal.
Shubho Shwadhinata Dibosh!
Asrarul Chowdhury teaches economics at Jahangirnagar, and North South University.
Going beyond the classroom: Daily Star Campus, 2 March 2008
Going beyond the classroom
by Asrar Chowdhury
Daily Star Campus: "My Favourite Teacher" Special Issue
Sun 2 March 2008
http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/03/01/camspotlight_beyond.htm
I've had the privilege of growing up in a 'magical' green campus Jahangirnagar. The openness of the green campus and the infinite space in the heavens always fascinated me. I realized that if you want to learn, you have to go beyond the walls of the classroom. Only then can you look towards the Cosmos with no fear of the unknown. I met my most favourite teacher in such a magical, green campus in England.
I was studying in the Department of Economics at Cambridge. A Bangladeshi friend offered me lunch in his department, Genetics. A tall man with a ponytail and a big moustache came to our table. My friend introduced him as “Maz”. When he heard that I'm from Bangladesh, he greeted me in a Bengali that would remind me of Tagore's Kabuliwallah. I was impressed. This was the first (and still the last) person of Pakistan origin that I came across who wanted to learn Bengali.
A few days later my friend and I went to Maz Bhai's house for dinner. I was flabbergasted. Mazhar Sheikh, a geneticist to the core in the classroom, was also a marvellous cook at home. For him cooking was not for pleasure alone, but also an art. He was also an avid reader and a true connoisseur of music. That day was the first of many addas. Here I'll mention only one encounter within the walls of this 'campus'.
One day I asked Maz Bhai what his favourite song is. The reply was simple and prompt- “Any song that suits my mood”. The explanation was one of the most influential lessons I ever had. “There are 12 notes in an octave. Some call them Sa-Re-Ga; some Do-Re-Mi; and others A-B-C. Whatever the names, there can only be 12 notes. Human emotions are also universal. People love and hate in the same language. You can realise the universality of music and human emotions only when you break the walls of the classroom. But then you need the classroom to prepare you to make that journey”.
Yes. The classroom teaches you knowledge, but wisdom lies outside. If you can reach wisdom you become a shepherd. You guide the flock. In all societies, shepherds have been a rarity. It's the shepherds who take societies and civilisations forward. And it's the 'campus', the university or the school, where these shepherds are born.I still have the privilege of being in the 'campus'. I have the privilege of spending time with young and fresh minds. This is what I try to tell my students 'challenge yourself beyond the boundaries that you find yourself in. If you can, you'll stand out be a leader.'
Maz Bhai is now settled in Cambridge. He has a wonderful wife and a beautiful daughter. I can only pray little Marvi grows up to be as wise as her father. A few minutes with a wise man is worth more than a thousand years with a fool. Thanks for all the lessons you gave me, Maz Bhai.
(Asrarul Chowdhury teaches Economics at Jahangirnagar and North South University).
by Asrar Chowdhury
Daily Star Campus: "My Favourite Teacher" Special Issue
Sun 2 March 2008
http://www.thedailystar.net/campus/2008/03/01/camspotlight_beyond.htm
I've had the privilege of growing up in a 'magical' green campus Jahangirnagar. The openness of the green campus and the infinite space in the heavens always fascinated me. I realized that if you want to learn, you have to go beyond the walls of the classroom. Only then can you look towards the Cosmos with no fear of the unknown. I met my most favourite teacher in such a magical, green campus in England.
I was studying in the Department of Economics at Cambridge. A Bangladeshi friend offered me lunch in his department, Genetics. A tall man with a ponytail and a big moustache came to our table. My friend introduced him as “Maz”. When he heard that I'm from Bangladesh, he greeted me in a Bengali that would remind me of Tagore's Kabuliwallah. I was impressed. This was the first (and still the last) person of Pakistan origin that I came across who wanted to learn Bengali.
A few days later my friend and I went to Maz Bhai's house for dinner. I was flabbergasted. Mazhar Sheikh, a geneticist to the core in the classroom, was also a marvellous cook at home. For him cooking was not for pleasure alone, but also an art. He was also an avid reader and a true connoisseur of music. That day was the first of many addas. Here I'll mention only one encounter within the walls of this 'campus'.
One day I asked Maz Bhai what his favourite song is. The reply was simple and prompt- “Any song that suits my mood”. The explanation was one of the most influential lessons I ever had. “There are 12 notes in an octave. Some call them Sa-Re-Ga; some Do-Re-Mi; and others A-B-C. Whatever the names, there can only be 12 notes. Human emotions are also universal. People love and hate in the same language. You can realise the universality of music and human emotions only when you break the walls of the classroom. But then you need the classroom to prepare you to make that journey”.
Yes. The classroom teaches you knowledge, but wisdom lies outside. If you can reach wisdom you become a shepherd. You guide the flock. In all societies, shepherds have been a rarity. It's the shepherds who take societies and civilisations forward. And it's the 'campus', the university or the school, where these shepherds are born.I still have the privilege of being in the 'campus'. I have the privilege of spending time with young and fresh minds. This is what I try to tell my students 'challenge yourself beyond the boundaries that you find yourself in. If you can, you'll stand out be a leader.'
Maz Bhai is now settled in Cambridge. He has a wonderful wife and a beautiful daughter. I can only pray little Marvi grows up to be as wise as her father. A few minutes with a wise man is worth more than a thousand years with a fool. Thanks for all the lessons you gave me, Maz Bhai.
(Asrarul Chowdhury teaches Economics at Jahangirnagar and North South University).
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