Monday, November 24, 2008

Comments by: Monir Uddin Ahmed on NIB on 9/30/2006

Comments by: Monir Uddin Ahmed , Scientific officer (Microbiologist, ) on 9/30/2006
Name: Monir Uddin Ahmed , Scientific officer (Microbiologist, )
Affiliation : Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission

Would you like National Institute of Biotechnology (NIB) to be like existing research Institutes? NO

If 'No', would you like partnership between NIB and BRAC/NGO capable of providing high salary for hiring highly to qualified expatriate scientists?: No

How do you like the idea of "brain Circulation" and "Brain Gain"? Add your own if there is any.

Brain circulation and brain Gain may be unique and innovative idea but impractical and unconvincing. It will be very difficult to convince the bureaucrats and policy makers (politicians) for high salary scale and NGO management for NIB. Rather “ Brain Retention “, that is, retaining those who join NIB, is more practical and implementable. This can be achieved with the present salary scale with modern recruitment system, motivational promotion policy, and work worthy procurement procedure.

How do you like the idea of creating postdoctoral positions in NIB and universities? Elaborate.

Very good ideas but what’s about doctoral student?

How about Creation of "Centers of Excellence" for conducting internationally competitive molecular biosciences research to benfit the region? Elaborate.

Who can say against it?

Do you think Development of new drugs is a health priority? Explain if your answer is yes.
Indigenous drug development will help reduce price of drugs. For this the example of Brazil, Cuba, India, Egypt, and china can be followed.More can be learned from “ Conclusion: promoting biotechnological innovation in developing countries” By Halla Thoresteindotti, Uyen Quach, Abdullah S. Daar And Per A Singer from www.nature.com/naturebiotechnology

What is your opinion about Intellectual Property Development & Protection? Add your own if there is any.

Very necessary to protect our resources and innovation and to keep researchers motivated by ensuring financial gain for person and organization.

What is your opinion about for creating biosafety and toxicological studies?
Go ahead if you have scope and facilities


What about supporting the idea for Bangldesh to apply for establishing a "Millennium Institute" under the umbrella of Third World Academy of Sciences" to do molecular biology research?

Who can give any point against it?

Add any other relevant Comments in this column.

To make NIB different from the existing research institute, “Management of manpower, time and money of NIB ” must be different, improved and efficient. To do so, we must find out a visionary full time head of NIB for, at least, the first five years who will be a leader, not BOSS. He must have capabilities to obtain resources from local, regional, national and international granting bodies in addition to the backbone financing from the government. Recruitment must be done by the hand of a human resource specialist. Procurement policy must be cost effective and time saving. Promotion policy must be motivating, not make the scientists lethargic which is occurring in other organizations.

NIB must develop three core complementary activities:

1. Strategic basic research
2. Active technology transfer policy
3. latest scientific information generation for general public and policy makers to make them feel that NIB is doing something for the nation and it deserves funding.

From the proposal of high salary by NGO, it seems that some people have misperception(probably as they have not worked in these organizations) that other research organizations in Bangladesh could not meet our expectation due to low salary. Low salary may have its part in it but not the major cause. The real culprit is the promotion policy and procurement procedure and recruitment system. we should find out very meticulously why other organisations failed to meet the expectation with help of those who worked in these organisations and then set policy for NIB

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

GNOBB and YoungBB can make it happen‏

GNOBB and YoungBB can make it happen‏
From: monir uddin ahmed (muahmed1977@hotmail.com)
Sent: Sun 10/05/08 9:56 PM
To: aislam24@yahoo.com
Cc: abidur@iwate-u.ac.jp; rabidur@yahoo.com; clingb@gmail.com



Dear Sir,

I think you will not disagree with me that unless and until science and technology is a national issue, issue in national election, there is little or no chance for the development of scientific research in Bangladesh.

And I think GNOBB and YoungBB can make science and technology an important issue in the upcoming national election.



For this, four things need to be done. Firstly, GNOOB gives a statement signed by all 328 or majority members and if possible including others. Statement from a large number of scientists like 328 will be a rare event in the history of Bangladesh and will draw attention of all. This statement needs to be published in all national dailies. The statement should have two messages. One for the voters and another for the political parties. The voter will be asked to take into consideration what the party or alliance has said in their manifesto about science and technology while voting. Message for the political parties should be such that scientists will campaign for the party or alliance which will give the most importance and doable reform proposal in their electional manifesto.

If such a statement is published in all national dailies before the political parties publish their manifesto, then they must think to give science and technology due importance in the manifesto.

However, such statement will not be enough. Three more things need to be done to make the statement most effective.

One online petition towards voters, to vote for science friendly parties or alliance. poster which will also ask to vote for science friendly parties or alliance. YoungBB can do such postering in the universities. I think YoungBB has member in all universities and they will do such non partisan postering enthusiastically. If you decide to so, I will be happy to provide financial support with five thousand taka.

Another thing that YoungBB can do is to arrange a question answer session of all the science secretary of the political parties. The question answer session can be like that of BBC sanglab. The science editor of the national dailies must be invited in the session along with eminent scientists. If electronic media can be convinced to air such program, then it will be great.


I think if these things can be done, it will bring noticeable change, if not , then a begining of change , in the sector of science in Bangladesh. And it seems to me that GNOBB and YoungBB jointly can make all these happen under your leadership. Hence I am sharing my thought with you.

May Allah help us to bring such changes in the science and technology research in Bangladesh.



With best regards and wishes

Monir Uddin Ahmed

MS Student ( Biotechnology ),

Student Representative (International) ,

Academic Board ,Swinburne University of Technology

Melbourne, Australia.

Scientific Officer

Institute of Food and Radiation Biology

Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission


Mobile: +61 431091781, phone:+61-3-94846135

http://scitechinbd.blogspot.com/

My Understanding of Science:
Science is the endless pursuit of firstly exploration of the processes, procedures and mechanisms of Allah's creation and then to copy or replicate them as much as possible for the betterment of the Mankind.