United News of Bangladesh

All primary schools in the country will be operated under a uniform shift from January next year, Senior Secretary to Bangladesh Primary and Mass Education Ministry Aminul Islam Khan said today (October 30, 2022). The secretary said this during a discussion with the media, on the occasion of his last working day at the ministry. “Ninety percent work towards introducing one shift in all primary schools has been completed. We’ll also extend the duration of classes gradually,” Aminul said. Also read: Mustafa Jabbar wants cyber security in primary school curriculum He added that the government has taken the decision due to its inability to construct new school buildings. “We’ve taken the decision considering the growing number of students and teachers. Once the single shift starts, no school will be closed and no teacher will lose job. We’ll initiate pre-primary and primary education at the schools which have dual rooms, and we’ll construct new buildings where possible,” Aminul added. Asked about the timing of classes, Aminul said that class hours will be extended to 4-5 hours from the current three hours. Also read: 342 primary schools in Dhaka will get aesthetic reconstruction: State Minister “There is a difference between class hours in Dhaka city and the rural areas. In Dhaka, classes start early, while in the villages, classes start late. Our aim is to ensure the presence of teachers in classrooms. We want teachers to give lessons regularly and for a longer period of time. That’s why we’ll increase the class hours,” Aminul said. Replying to a question, Aminul added that his Ministry will complete the process of transferring and recruiting primary school teachers before the coming Victory Day. “We could’ve published the results of the Bangladesh primary teacher recruitment exam earlier. We didn’t do it as some teachers had requested the ministry for transfer, which was pending due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We’re trying so that teachers who have been with a school for 10-12 years can be transferred after every three years,” Aminul said. Read More: Online transfer system of govt primary teachers resumes.

Education Minister Dipu Moni on Saturday said free textbooks will be distributed at schools countrywide on the first day of 2023. "Students will get their textbooks on time," Dipu Moni said while speaking at the 41st general meeting of the Bangladesh Publishers and Booksellers Association (BAPUS) in Dhaka. However, BAPUS General Secretary Zahurul Islam said: "There is a serious paper shortage now. If 50 percent of the paper stocks cannot be imported duty-free, it will not be possible for us to arrange all the textbooks for the students by January 1."

Universal College Bangladesh (UCB) has introduced degree programmes from the University of London under the academic direction of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). With 100 percent curriculum and testing from LSE, the courses at UCB initially include BSc business and management, BSc finance and BSc accounting and finance, according to a media statement. The inauguration event was held Thursday in Dhaka. Dipu Moni, minister of education, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, deputy minister of education, Tipu Munshi, minister of commerce, Robert Dickson, high commissioner of UK to Bangladesh, Professor Wim A Van der Stede, dean of LSE Extended Education, were present. Read: AIT launches Yunus Professional Masters Degree Universal College Bangladesh is a part of STS Group, Bangladesh's largest private sector conglomerate in healthcare and education, operating brands such as Evercare Hospitals, DPS STS Schools and International School Dhaka. Last year, UCB introduced Monash pathway programmes in Bangladesh where students could undertake their Monash degree journey here. Zarif Munir, senior managing director at Boston Consulting Group and director at UCB, said: "Such programmes can potentially save invaluable dollar reserves for a nation that annually repatriates close to $4.5 billion on outward tuition fee remittances for Bangladesh students studying abroad."

Seventy-two seats are vacant in various departments and faculties even after admission from the third merit list in the graduation (honours) admission test In the 2021-22 academic year of Jahangirnagar University. Deputy Registrar (Education) Abu Hasan, Member Secretary of the Central Admission Management Committee confirmed this information on Wednesday (October 26). Abu Hasan said, "72 seats are vacant in almost all the units. Students who want to apply for this vacant seat will apply in person from 5th to 8th November. Admission will be taken on the basis of the application submitted according to the previous merit order. In this regard, a notice will be given on the website of the university after taking the final decision tomorrow with the permission of the VC. He also said that the admissions process of students seeking admission in different quotas in the university will be completed on the same date. It is to be noted that this year, 466 seats in 'A' unit, 386 in 'B' unit, 467 in 'C' unit, 320 in 'D' unit and 250 in 'E' unit in the admission test of 2021-22 academic year are 2 lakh 84 against a total of 1 thousand 888 seats. 1,605 applications were submitted. In addition to the number of seats, the university has a quota system. Accordingly, there are reserved seats for freedom fighters- 37x4, 30 for ethnic groups, 15 for disabled. Besides, there is a reserved quota.

East Asian island country Japan is located in the Pacific Ocean. The “land of the rising sun” is famous for its standard educational system and unique culture. Every year a large number of international students come to study in Japan. Many talented students from Bangladesh dream of going to Japan for higher education too. This article will provide detailed information on how to get higher education in Japan. Is Japan a Good Destination for Higher Studies? Students from middle-class families prefer higher education in Japan due to the low tuition and vast opportunity to access the latest technology and knowledge.  The advanced sciences and economic prosperities of the country are incomparable. As one of the most powerful countries in Asia, Japan’s educational system is unique compared to other countries.  Here, students can study a variety of subjects ranging from electrical to medicine, literature, business administration, and more.  Read Study in Belgium: Bachelor's, Masters and PhD options for Bangladeshi students Japan is one of the safest nations in the world. Japan has a very low crime rate and an extremely low drug use rate. Higher Study in Japan, Academic Year and Course Duration All the first-world countries offer opportunities in various educational institutions for higher education. Likewise, there are five types of higher education institutions in Japan. These are Graduate University, Under Graduate University, College of Technology, Japanese Studies, and Professional Training School. Japan’s education system is running on them. The academic year for higher education in Japan begins in April and ends the following March. Generally, an academic year is divided into two semesters, one April-September and the other October-March. But there are more opportunities for international students in the fall semester, which starts on October 1 and ends on March 31. Read Study in Denmark: Costs, opportunities for international students Most courses at the undergraduate level are of four years duration. Besides, Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science’s duration are six years. However, the duration for Master’s courses is two years, and the course duration for a doctoral degree or PHD is five years. Japan also offers 2-3 years of professional degrees in Master of Education, Juris Doctor, and professional Master’s degree. Minimum Educational Qualifications to Study Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD For undergraduate admission in Japan, a student must have completed at least 12 years of schooling, i.e., an upper secondary certificate from an upper secondary school.  For admission to the Master, there should be at least 16 years of schooling.  For Ph.D. admission, you will need a Master’s degree with relevant research and job experience.  Read Cheapest countries for Bangladeshi students for higher studies However, most higher education institutions in Japan teach in Japanese, while you can find some courses taught in English too. Therefore, if foreign students want to go for higher education in Japan, a student must have to be proficient in the Japanese language. So Bangladeshi students who want to go for higher education in Japan can contact the embassy in Dhaka and learn the Japanese language. Besides, Dhaka University has Japanese language courses of different durations. In addition to that, you will also need English language proficiency. When you go for higher education in Japan, you need to find out which institutions require IELTS. Because some educational institutions want TOEFL CBT to score above 150 or TOEFL iBT scores above 52. And IELTS 6.5/ 7.0 is acceptable to supplement this score. Since the university authorities want TOEFL (CBT/ iBT) directly, it is better for you to take the TOEFL (CBT/ iBT) test in Japan. However, these tests are not required in all courses and universities. So you need to visit the university websites and see what qualifications the university authorities actually expect from students. Read SoP for Higher Studies: How to write an unfailing Statement of Purpose? Subjects Taught for Higher Education in Japan Here are some of the subjects you can study in Japan: Science Subjects:  Physics, Chemistry, Ecology, Biology, Material Science, Biology and Neuroscience, Geoscience, Educational Science, Environmental Life Science, Astronomy, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Biomolecular Engineering, Medical Science, MBBS, and more. Management:  Accountancy, Management, Area Studies, and more. Read Student Loans in Bangladesh: Banks Offering Education Loans for Higher Studies Humanities:  Human Studies, Anthropology, Public Law and Policy, Applied Informatics, Human-Social Information Science, Geophysics, Architecture, and Building Science. Law Subjects:  Law and Society, Transnational Law and Policy, and more. In addition, there are linguistics, history, economics, mathematics, mechanical systems and design, nanomechanics, educational informatics, intercultural relations, and engineering, including computer and mathematical science. There are about 800 universities for higher education in Japan. “The University of Tokyo” and “Kyoto University” are among the top 70 universities in the world ranking. Read Higher Study in China: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students Tuition Fees in Japan Tuition fees in Japan depend on which university you study at. If you study at National Universities, tuition fees will be Approx. 820,000 yen or around $5,500 per year (around TK 6 lacs) for an undergraduate degree. If you attend a private university in Japan, the annual tuition fee will be Approximately 1,100,000 yen or around $7,300 (or around TK 8 lacs). For medical, dental, and pharmaceutical studies in private universities, the approximate tuition fee is Approximately 3,200,000 yen or $21,500 (or around TK 23 lacs) per year. The approximate tuition fee for graduate studies such as a Master’s or Ph.D. is 820,000 yen or $5,500 (around TK 6 lacs) each year. For private graduate school, you will need to pay around 1,000,000 yen or $6,700 (around TK 7 lacs) a year. Graduate medical, dental, and pharmaceutical programs will cost around 800,000 yen or $5,500 (around TK 6 lacs) per year. Read Study in the Netherlands: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students Accommodation Facilities and Costs Foreign students studying in Japan can live in four types of accommodation. These four types of accommodation are student dormitories, public housing allocated by local government agencies, staff dormitories of various Japanese organizations, and private rental housing.  The average accommodation cost for a student in Tokyo is about 44,000 yen or $300 (around TK 31,000) per month. Overall, the living cost per month will be around 100,000 yen (around TK 71,000), including rent, food, utility, insurance, medical, and others. Scholarship Scopes for International Students in Japan The Japanese study environment is competitive and creative. Japanese universities offer admission for two semesters a year with various scholarships and fellowships. Master’s and Ph.D. students have more opportunities for scholarships. Read Study in France: Scholarship Opportunities and Overview for Bangladeshi Students Among the popular scholarships, the MEXT scholarship is notable. This scholarship is given to developing Japan’s friendships with other countries through research. Scholarship recipients under this program do not have to pay any tuition fee or admission fees. Accommodation, food, and round-trip airfare are also included in the scholarship. Apart from this, students get the opportunity to study without tuition fees in Japan’s ‘ADB-Japan Scholarship Program.’ Living expenses, incidental expenses including rent, purchase of books and other essentials, medical insurance, and travel expenses—all are covered by this scholarship. Another popular scholarship is the Japan-World Bank Scholarship. Through this, there are various training opportunities, including Master's and Ph.D. degrees. Students from various universities get various scholarships and financial incentives for good results and work. These scholarships and fellowship opportunities can be known by e-mailing the university’s international office. Read Studying Abroad: Major Pros and Cons You Need to Consider To get a scholarship, one should have good academic results and be interested in research and higher education. Apart from the various required documents for the scholarship, a ‘Statement of Purpose, why you are interested in doing research should be written. Apart from this, previous research experience and certificates of participation in various social activities are also considered important. Application Process for Higher Education in Japan First of all, you will need to find universities according to your background and interest. You can search the universities at https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/. Next, you will need to apply. The required documents for application are academic certificates, an academic mark sheet or transcript, a TOEFL or IELTS score, a CV or motivation letter and recommendation letter, a certificate from the last educational institution, and a copy of the passport. Read Overcoming Study Gap: How to Start Studying after a Long Break However, make sure you follow the academic year and application deadlines. Each university might have a different application process. Information regarding the application process and minimum qualifications are available from the university website.  In order to start the classes on time, the application process should be started at least 2-3 months before the start of the course. Bangladeshi students should apply for a study permit by contacting the relevant branch of the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka. Visa Application Process and Required Documents After you have received confirmation of admission from the university, you must submit all required documents to the Japan Immigration Office. They will accept all your documents and issue Pre-Visa (COE) through the Ministry of Justice in Japan. With this Pre-Visa (COE), you will later apply for a visa at the Japanese Embassy in Bangladesh. Read Higher Study in Germany: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi and Other International Students Documents you will need at the embassy are, Pre-Visa (COE), all documents, mark sheets, and all certificates; the passport should be valid for at least six months; two copies of photo size 3.5 x 4.5, recommendation or reference letter, bank statements and financial solvency documents, medical report, TOEFL/ JLPT 5 (if applicable), scholarship papers (if any) and a cover letter describing the reason for higher education in Japan.  Besides, you need to know from the Japanese embassy whether you need any other documents. Part-time Job Opportunities for Students in Japan International students typically can work 28 hours a week. Knowing Japanese makes it easier to work in different organizations. There are job opportunities in various research laboratories and related projects of the university.  Read Study in Norway: Scholarship Opportunities for International Students including Bangladesh The work environment in Japan is very professional. Punctuality and professional behavior are always important. In addition, you will get the opportunity to work full-time during the semester breaks. Job Opportunities in Japan After Completion of Study Bangladeshi students or researchers have many job opportunities in Japan. Chances are more if you know Japanese. You can work in various technology companies. Many people also work in financial institutions, laboratories, and commercial institutions. Bangladeshis are joining various Japanese educational institutions and laboratories.  Many students also work in famous companies such as Sony, Toyota, and Hitachi. Many students are taking jobs directly from Japan in various corporate organizations in Europe and America. Hence, you will have permanent resident opportunities too. Read Study in Australia: Scholarship Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students Final Words Japan is a great destination for science and technology students. The study system is the same in all universities in Japan. But it is better to select public universities and national universities for a scholarship. Because the number of scholarships in these universities is usually high. So far, we have discussed how Bangladeshi students can apply for bachelor, master's, or Ph.D. admission in Japan. We also gave an idea about tuition fees, living costs, and part-time job opportunities for students in Japan. Hope it helps!

Due to the emergencies arising out of the impact of Cyclone Sitrang, educational institutions in three coastal divisions have been declared closed till further notice. All educational institutions in Chattogram, Barishal and Khulna divisions are covered under the declaration of the Education Ministry issued on Monday (October 24, 2022). The Ministry also gave instructions to use the educational institutions in the cyclone-affected areas as shelter centres, it added. Public schools and health complexes in Bangladesh are designed to double up as shelter centres during emergencies. Read Cyclone Sitrang weakens into depression Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is said to be monitoring developments centering the cyclone round the clock, and issuing necessary instructions to the government officials to mitigate its impact. “The prime minister is giving various directives to different ministries, directorates and other government offices round the clock,” PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told UNB. Also read: Cyclone Sitrang: Many areas in Dhaka, Narayanganj plunge into darkness following disruption in power supply

Rajshahi-2 lawmaker and president of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) management council Fazle Hossain Badsha has called for exhuming the body of deceased Rajshahi University student MGM Shahriar for autopsy. He made the demand while speaking in a press briefing at his office in Hargram of Rajshahi city on Sunday afternoon. He also demanded a high-level investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs over the death. Badsha, also the general secretary of Bangladesh Workers Party, said that an emergency meeting of the hospital management council has been called on October 26. "After that, we will send a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the incident," he added. He also questioned the role of some teachers during the incident. The MP said, we had a meeting with the Intern Doctors Association at noon. We requested them to call off their strike considering the patients. They called off their strike after a fruitful meeting and they joined their work from Sunday afternoon, he added. Earlier, in the day, the students of Rajshahi University brought out a procession protesting the death of their fellow student on the campus. They also took position in front of the main gate of Rajshahi University to press home their nine-point demand including arrest of those involved in the attack on students and those who made lapses in attending to Shahriar. Later, the interns of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital also brought out a procession protesting a scuffle between the RU students and medical interns. They also threatened to continue their strike if the authorities concerned would not take any effective measures in arresting the attackers and ensuring a healthy atmosphere for work. On Wednesday night, Shahriar, the fourth-year student of the university's marketing department, died after allegedly falling off the roof of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall. After Shahriar fell off the roof of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall of the university on Wednesday night, some students took him to RMCH where he was declared dead on arrival. A five-member probe body has been formed to look into the incident. Two complaints have been lodged over the incident.

A case has been filed against eight named and seven unnamed people over supplying cheat sheet during a recruitment test of the Department of Social Services in Thakurgaon. SM Rafiqul Islam, Social Services Officer of the district’s Pirganj upazila, filed the case with Thakurgaon Sadar Police Station on Friday afternoon. The accused are examinee Shafiqul Islam, Office Assistant Jahurul Islam, Teacher of Farabari High School ATM Kabir Iqbal, Teacher of Thakurgaon Government Girls High School Ahmed Jibril, Examinee Hauz-e-Kaiser, Senior Teacher of Thakurgaon Government Girls High School Saleha Khatun, Assistant Teacher Taposh Debnath and Office Assistant Deepti Ray. “Some peons and teachers were involved in supplying cheat sheets to two examinees during a recruitment test at the Thakurgaon Government Girls High School center on Friday. The examinees have been expelled and a case against the culprits has been lodged by me,” said Rafiqul, the plaintiff of the case. Earlier, four of the eight, including two school teachers, were detained for supplying a cheat sheet containing the answers to one examinee. The exam committee handed over the culprits to police for further action. According to Shaharia Nazir, the Executive Magistrate in charge of the exam center, office assistants Md Jahirul and Deepti Rani were caught red-handed while handing a sheet containing the answers to the exam questions to examinee Shafikul Islam. “Teachers Kabir Iqbal and Ahmed Jibril didn’t take any actions against either the examinee or the peons. Instead, Iqbal tore the answer copy apart and threw it out of the window when he got it. Jibril, despite being the centre's invigilator, let it go,” said Nazir.  

The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government Azizul Haque College, Bogura to promote the CMA profession and offer easy access to CMA program for the aspiring professional accountants. ICMAB President Mamunur Rashid and college Principal Prof Md Shajahan Ali signed the MoU in Bogura, said a media release.  Both the organisations hoped that the partnership will result in mutual benefits for the institutions in developing the human capital of Bangladesh. Read: ICMAB demands implementation of financial, cost audit to bring transparency in accounting system Highlighting several aspects of the CMA profession, the ICMAB president said there is a special need for the CMA degree holders in the administration and other departments including the accounting department of various multinational organisations, businesses and production department of industrial establishments. He said that the enrollment of new students in the study center will start from the next session.

Dhaka University's first-ever 'Research and Publication Fair' got underway on Saturday, as part of its centenary celebrations.  The fair was inaugurated on Saturday morning by Industries Minister Nurul Majid Humayun, while Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, deputy education minister, attended the opening ceremony of the fair as special guest. DU Vice Chancellor Prof. Md. Akhtaruzzaman presided over the opening ceremony.  The fair consists of the stalls of every Department and Institutes under the pavilions of the Faculties. Each Department and Institute of the University has decorated the Stalls with books, journals, research projects, posters and flyers of their own. Nurul Majid Humayun said, "We are talking about multi-dimensional exports but we could not produce cotton for our garments sectors, the biggest export industry of our country.The DU vice chancellor  said there is an absence of industry-academia relationship, community engagement, alliances and proper collaboration in the education and cultural sectors: "We are putting emphasis on developing public-private partnerships and academia-industry relationship." On the first day of the fair, Arts, Science, Social Science, Business Studies, and Law faculties each gave a presentation on glorifying historical background and achievements. The Biology, Pharmacy, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Engineering faculties.