United News of Bangladesh

Leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL)'s Dhaka University unit expressed their gratitude and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for constructing the Metro Rail station beside the university's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC). A day-long thanksgiving program, titled ‘Metro at TSC: Thank you Sheikh Hasina’, was organised on the premises of the  Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture under the banner of general students. DU BCL General Secretary Tanbir Hasan Saikat inaugurated the program at 10:30 am on Saturday. ‘We believe that the Metrorail will alleviate the transportation challenges faced by Dhaka University students,’ said DU BCL GS Saikat. Graduate Programs in the US: Guide for Bangladeshi Students

 The 205th birth anniversary of Russian novelist, poet and playwright Ivan Turgenev was celebrated by the Russian House in Dhaka. A literary program was recently organized in the main auditorium of Dhaka College, a historic educational institution in Bangladesh with a proud heritage, to mark the anniversary.  The program included a colorful presentation about Turgenev's life and literature, several recitations presented by Bangladeshi universities and Russian Language Course Students from his poems and a short play of the literary work "First Love". Dhaka College Principal Professor Mohammed Youssuf in his welcome speech, thanked the Russian House Director, Mr. Pavel Dvoychenkov for organizing the program at Dhaka College and promised to organize more programs in the future. He also gratefully recalled the humanitarian assistance and contribution of the Soviet Union and Russia in Bangladesh's liberation war and post-war education and overall development of Bangladesh. Pavel Dvoychenkov, director of the Russian House (formerly the Russian Cultural Centre), paid tribute to Ivan Turgenev in his speech and presented detailed information of his life and literary works and his valuable contribution to Russian and world literature. He invited all the students present at the event to avail of the scholarship opportunities for higher studies in Russia and to enroll in Russian language courses at Russian House to enrich their knowledge of Russia's rich education, literature and culture. At the end of the event all the participants received certificates and souvenirs. The whole program was enjoyed by the teachers and students of the college with great interest and hoped to organize such programs on famous Russian literary personalities like Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, Leo Tolstoy and others to enhance their knowledge of Russian literature.

Professor Dr. Syeda Sultana Razia of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) was awarded the prestigious 2023 The Hague Award at OPCW annual Conferece of the State Parties. Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Fernando Arias and Ambassador Henk van der Kwast, on behalf of the Dutch Government, jointly handed over the Award to her at the inauguration of the 28th Session of the Conference of States Parties (CSP 28). Also read: Prof M Harunur Rashid receives Abu Rushd Literary Award The other co-recipients were Spiez Laboratory (Switzerland) and Hubert K. Foy, Director of African Centre for Science and International Security. Since receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, OPCW has been judging and awarding individuals/institutions from around the world in recognition of their distinctive works relating to the objectives of the Convention. She is the first Bangladeshi to receive this award. Also read: Romania confers "National Order For Merit" award to Enayetullah Khan

Professor Dr. Sadeka Halim has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Jagannath University. She is the 6th Vice-Chancellor and first woman VC of the university. The Ministry of Education has issued a gadget notification in this regard on Thursday. Read: DU’s white panel boycotts DUTA election According to the circular, Dr. Sadeka Halim will stay as the VC of the university for the next four years. She was appointed after the position of the VC at Jagannath University became vacant following the demise of former vice chancellor Imdadul Hoque due to cancer. Read: Chinese Government Scholarship 2024: Empowering Bangladeshi Students Professor Sadeka Halim holds the distinction of being the country's first female information commissioner and has been a member of the National Education Policy Formulation Committee-2010. She began her teaching career at Dhaka University in 1988 and earned her PhD from McGill University in Canada.  

BNP-backed  white panel teachers of Dhaka University have boycotted the upcoming Dhaka University Teachers Association Election (DUTA) election. They declared the decision at press conference held at Dhaka University Club on Thursday. Also read: Pro-AL Blue Panel sweeps DUTA polls Prof. Mohammad Lutfor Rahman, convener of white panel, read out a press release on behalf of the panel. He said, “ Considering the current political situation in the county, we are boycotting the upcoming DUTA election which will be held on November 12. We know that most of the running DUTA executives, except two, are implementing thr agenda of the fascist government. They are not doing anything for the students, teachers or the nation.” Prof. ABM Obaidur  Rahman said, "Dhaka University Teachers  Association has now turned into a government party. Polls candidates force new teachers (lecturers)  to seal vote for them and provide the evidences with pictures. The association technically restricts promotiona of teachers who have different  ideals and beliefs.” Also read: DUTA election: AL leaning 'Blue Panel' wins all but one EC posts "Earlier, we protested using different means but this time we have no other choice except boycotting the election as we believe that it is impossible to change the ongoing situation of the university without changing national situation,” he added.

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman (Additional ) Professor Dr Muhammad Alamgir said that the admission test for public universities will be held in a cluster system instead of the previously planned single entry system in the upcoming academic year 2023–24. He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a meeting with stakeholders as part of the implementation of UGC's integrity strategy action plan for the financial year 2023-2024 on Wednesday. Also read: UGC won’t grant exemptions for irregularities in private or public universities Professor Alamgir said, "The UGC took the initiative to introduce  a single entry exam for all public universities. A committee was formed in this regard, and after detailed discussion, an ordinance was also drafted." “However, due to unavoidable reasons, it has not been not possible to arrange a single admission test for the upcoming academic year.Therefore, like last year, the admission test will be held in a cluster system in the upcoming academic year. " Earlier, the UGC directed all public universities to enrol students through a single admission test under the government’s authority from the next academic year. Also read: UGC asks universities to follow financial regulations properly The University Grants Commission said such a single test will reduce the hassle of admissions seekers and cut time and cost. In the meeting, the UGC chairman urged the universities, including Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) -- who are outside of the cluster system, to be included in the cluster this year. The chairman said that the commission is now planning to determine what subjects will be taught in which university and the number of students in different universities, considering the domestic and international context. He said the main objective of UGC is to maintain quality in higher education, ensure a suitable environment for research, and allocate necessary fund. Also read: Single admission test for universities from next year: Dipu Moni

US Embassy Dhaka’s EducationUSA center hosted a meet-up between American undergraduate students and their Bangladeshi counterparts at the new EMK Center on Gulshan Avenue. The 13 American economics students traveled to Dhaka from Carleton College, one of the top ten liberal arts colleges in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report. Carleton students met with Bangladeshi students from several local institutions, including Scholastica, Aga Khan Academy, the University of Dhaka, and Jahangirnagar University to exchange ideas and foster a deeper understanding of U.S. higher education, said the US Embassy on Tuesday. The session also included a presentation on how the U.S. government supports economic growth in Bangladesh. For the past decade, the number of Bangladeshi students pursuing higher studies in the United States have increased by more than 300%.  According to the 2023 Open Doors Report, the number of Bangladeshi students in the United States reached an all-time high (13,563) in the 2022-2023 academic year.  EducationUSA centers across Bangladesh offer free virtual and in-person advising for Bangladeshi students and scholars about the U.S. higher education application process.  Sessions include information on different types of academic programs, funding and scholarship opportunities, and U.S. government-sponsored academic and professional exchange programs.   

Digital lottery was held on Tuesday for admission to government and private secondary schools across the country. Education Minister Dipu Moni inaugurated the lottery programme at International Mother Language Institute at Segunbagicha as per he chief guest. The lottery results for the admission for 2024 academic year( from class I to IX) were published today. Addressing the event, Dipu Moni said “An equal opportunity has been created for students through the digital lottery system.” 42 educational institutions see zero pass rate in HSC, equivalent exams Talking about the educational elements, the education minister said no one will be allowed to use costly educational elements and the authorities concerned should not create pressure on the guardians. The students and guardians can know the results through SMS and website http gsa.teletalk.com.bd. If anyone wants to know the results through mobile phone he/she has to write CSA (sapce) Result and send it to 16222 after using the user ID. The admission process to enroll students in3,846 government and private secondary schools opened on October 28. EducationUSA Bangladesh hosts US Education Fair at the EMK Center There are 11,22,94 seats and some 8,73,792 applications were found against the seats. Besides, there are 1,18,101 seats in 658 government schools and some 5,63,013 applications were submitted. As a result, five students are contesting each seat. Meanwhile, the number of private schools are 3,188 and 10,3993 seats are available in those schools.So far, 3,10,779 students applied for the vacant seats.

Are you a passionate and ambitious student in Bangladesh, dreaming of pursuing higher education in China? Seize the opportunity with the prestigious Chinese Government Scholarship 2024! Key Details: 1) The 2024 Chinese Government Scholarship selection process is now open, offering international students the highest level of scholarship. 2) Successful candidates enjoy full coverage of tuition and accommodation fees, living allowances, and round-trip airfare. Available Programs: Open to Bangladeshi students meeting the criteria for undergraduate, master's, doctoral degrees, or visiting scholar programs. Read more: SoP for Higher Studies: How to write an unfailing Statement of Purpose? Application Process: Apply through the Bangladesh Ministry of Education's system for eligibility by December 27, 2023. Only candidates passing the initial screening by the Ministry can proceed to the following stages.Ministry of Education Notification Portal: Click Here Guidance and Support: 1) Learn how to apply by joining the online webinar hosted by the Bangladesh-China Youth Student Association (BCYSA). 2) Follow BCYSA on Facebook for updates and valuable information. Embark on a Journey of Knowledge and Excellence! Apply Now!  Read more: Cheapest countries for Bangladeshi students for higher studies

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh on Tuesday (November 28, 2023) signed a $100 million loan agreement to improve computer science, software engineering, and information technology (IT) programs in three universities in Bangladesh. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Edimon Ginting, Country Director, ADB, signed the loan agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively, at a ceremony at ERD in Dhaka. “This project will help accelerate fourth industrial revolution technology adoption, realize the vision of Digital Bangladesh, and enable the country to reap the demographic dividend by creating digitally qualified young human resources and entrepreneurs,” said ADB Country Director Edimon Ginting. “This new initiative builds on ADB’s ongoing skills development support through industry partnerships to increase competitiveness and foster innovation,” he said. Read: ADB to provide $200 million to promote energy efficiency, transition in Bangladesh The Improving Computer and Software Engineering Tertiary Education Project will upgrade the computer science and engineering, software engineering, and information technology degree programs of the leading public universities in Bangladesh. The universities receiving the funding are: Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), University of Dhaka (DU), and Jashore University of Science and Technology. These programs will adopt blended learning techniques and integrate the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and internet of things. These programs will seek international accreditation to ensure that students get updated curricula that adhere to international standards. Read: ADB to lend $336.5 million to Bangladesh to help develop vaccine production ADB will support the establishment of modern classrooms and laboratories, collaboration and start-up spaces, and auxiliary facilities in the three universities. These facilities will incorporate climate- and disaster-resilient designs, energy- and water-saving features, and will include women-friendly amenities and services. The universities will develop capacities of teachers to be proficient in new instructional approaches and emerging digital technologies. The students and teachers from the three and other universities will also work with industry partners to come up with innovative solutions through joint research and development. Mandatory internship opportunities, career counseling, and industry placement will be provided to undergraduate students, particularly for women. Read: ADB provides $90 million for clean water, sanitation services in the Hill Tracts