If there were an organisation of Sceitntists

Budget is coming on 20 Jun for the year 2010-2011. Different organisations arranging discussion on budget and expressing their expectation and making recommendations.

Never found in the past that any organisation was arranging such discussion on behalf of scientists or researchers and making recommendations. In spite of that, last year the govt doubled the allocation for science and research. There should have some review of the allocation from a thirdparty /organisation whether it was double in reality or there was any mispresentation of the figure. If the allocation was really doubled, was it utilized and has made any noticeable improvement? Or doubling money has just doubled the wastage as the efficiency of our research organisations in utilizing the resources is very poor ? Should not we take account of all these issues? Govt should have some mechanism to get feedback on how their invested or allocated money performing in research organisations. Similary professional scientists should also speak out how much more money they need to make the ensure the utilization of the allocated money, what other than money they need to utilize the money , where they need reform for efficient use of the money .

If there were an organisation of Sceitntists that would speak about the expectation of scientists in the budget and give feedback on how the 100% increase in last budget was utilized or abused or wasted or brought improvement , Bangladesh could make progress at a better pace.

How are the mirrors reflecting scientific status of Bangladesh?

Friends are mirror for each other. If we want to know someone and he is not available for contact and who will not be free and frank in front of us, then having contact with his friends we can have some idea about him. What are the mirrors of the scientific status (status of scientific research and technology development) of a country? Aren't Scientific journals, research organizations and professional organizations of scientists the mirror looking at which we can have idea of the scientific status of a country? The scientific status of a country is well reflected in the regularity, quantity and quality of scientific journals published from that country, performance of research organizations and vision, mission and dynamism of professional scientists’ organizations.

If we look at regularity, quantity and quality of our scientific journals, we can easily find out what’s the status of our country. Very few journals are published regularly due to lack of money and lack of enough articles. Quality of articles are not that much high. Hence we have only 5 indexed journals with small number of articles per year.

Source: http://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php?area=0&category=0&country=BD&year=2008&order=sjr&min=1&min_type=cd

If looking at the performance of our research organizations, that also shows the similar poor status. There are hardly any research organizations researchers of which feel proud to say that I am a researcher of this or that organization. If you talk with the top people of the largest research organizations of the country, they will speak about the service they are providing , not about research as they have hardly any research achievement to speak about it .

If we all look at the professional scientists’ organizations, we can not be happy also. These organizations have no mission statement, no vision and performance evaluation. Different people come to the leadership at different times. Do something sporadically. These organizations hardly organize their annual conference regularly. Researchers are hardly enthusiastic to present their paper in these conferences. If these professional organizations had long term goal and vision, they could have done much for the professional groups and the country. In such case, new executive committee would have some pre-assigned and planned work other than organizing annual conference and forming new committee. For example, antibiotic is an over abused drug in Bangladesh.
This over abuse causing huge harm to our economy and national health. There should have policy to minimize abuse of antibiotics. But neither the government nor people are aware of it. Some relevant professional groups should make plan and program to make the govt adopt and implement proper policy and people aware of harm from sporadic use of antibiotics. This is an example for those professional scientists’ associations/societies who know well about the harm of antibiotic abuse. Every professional group can find some such task that needs long term campaign and lobbing for good policy and its implementation. Campaigning for such cause can be regarded social responsibility of professional scientists’ associations/societies. From this they will be benefited as corporate organizations benefited from their corporate social responsibilities.

However, what is the best and most reflective mirror of the scientific status of a country? Isn’t it the Academy of Sciences of that country? Vision, mission and dynamism and influence of The Academy of Sciences of a country are reflected in the science policy and research funding and performance of the research organizations of that country. Looking at scientific status of our country, what perception we get about the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (BAS)? How was it (a mostly unknown organization to the science graduates of the country) doing in the past? Not satisfactorily. Can we be hopeful from the present movement of BAS? May be as it has become an active organization recently. It has organized Young Scientists Congress for the first time in last December and declared to organize it every year. It has also organized science Olympiad and will organize such program regularly at school level. It has been awarding researchers for long though it is not possible for what contribution the researchers are awarded from the website of BAS (www.bad.org.bd).


However, Bangladesh Academy of Sciences have to go long way, needs more movement, strategically and effectively, to make Bangladesh perform satisfactorily in scientific research and technology development. Because no other organizations have such influence on the government that BAS can exert on govt science policy shaping and funding.

Some one, some body needs to be regularly critical of BAS so that it exerts its ability and influence on government for science and technology in Bangladesh.

References
SCImago. (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank.
Retrieved April 12, 2010, from http://www.scimagojr.com

What should be focus of discussion of Bangladeshi scientists' community?

What sciences(different branches of Science) can do for Bangladesh? Or

Why Bangladesh can’t reap the benefit of science? or

How can we reap benefit of Science for the development of Bangladesh?

or

Why our research organisations' performances are very poor?


Why our Universities are not centre for excellence for for research ? how can we make them so?

Or we should we waste time on discussion on vague and vast topic such as life, genome, emerging diseases and so on so forth ?

Young Scientists' Congress by BAS- a heartening sign

Even in February, 2009 one had scope to be critical of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences as its website was not updated since 2002-3(http://scitechinbd.blogspot.com/2009/02/bangladesh-academy-of-sciences.html).

Now it is really very heartening to see a dynamic Bangladesh Academy of Sciences is which is evident from the vibrant and interactive website of the organization.

Organizing young scientists’ congress (so far I know) for the fist time is another evidence of its liveliness. But it seems something is missing in the congress. The congress has well defined and articulated objectives. It has rightly focused to infuse dream in the mind of young scientists (The Academy will organize a two day Young Scientists Congress on 29-30 December 2009 in order to encourage the young scientists and to infuse dream among them to develop their future pathway at a pace with other parts of the globe.)
The objectives should come as a theme of the congress. Then it will very easily communicate the message of the congress to the young scientists. The theme can be “Chase your researcher’s dream and develop yourself and Bangladesh in scientific research” or simply “Chase your researcher’s dream”. Organizer can even find best theme as they have full understanding of the objectives of the congress.Bottom line is that the congress should have a theme.

However, as Bangladesh Academy of Sciences is a dynamic and vibrant organization now like its leaders, we are very hopeful that Bangladesh will soon make noticeable progress in research and technology development and transfer

Four interesting questions

What is the most advanced country scientifically (research and technology development )? USA.


Do they have Science minister and science ministry? NOOOOO



Then how they have done so much development ?

Shouldn't we research on these questions?

What is the best subject for one to be admitted in University ?

Dear Badal bhai,

Hope you all are well and fine. You will be happy to hear that Amme has got chance for admission in Dhaka Univ(Ka) with Merit Position- 43. Please let me know your suggestion about subject choice.

Dear Parvez,

First congratulate Amme on behalf of me. Regarding subject choice, first help A to identify his interest or choice. He can be admitted to a very good subject such as Biotechnology, Genetics, Pharmacy, Microbiology but if he doesn't like it, then he will not be able to do good result as happened to me and many . Microbiology is good subject but I didn't enjoy it and couldn't do good result in University and also in career though I admitted in it with 14th position in Ka unit of DU.

That is the best subject that Amme likes best, even it is Botany, Zoology or Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics; whatever he enjoys to study. Just make sure that Amme knows his best choice. Some times young candidates become confused from the opinion of friends, parents, neighbours and teachers.

This or that is very good subject, have high prospect in Job market or for higher study. Or studying this or that subject you can do something new (research). Hearing all these,ones get admitted in a subject with good results that they don't enjoy. At the later stage, they suffer in academic life and career.

One of my in-law wanted to study Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in instead of EEE in BUET. Because, his friends told him that he could do something new studying biotechnology. But when I asked what he enjoyed more to study, biology or physics, he answered that he didn’t enjoy biology that much. If one doesn’t enjoy a subject, can he enjoy the four year long uni life and much more long professional life if he is working in his academic line. How will be his life as a major part of life is occupied by job/work (8-10 hours /24 Hours every day? Will not it be boring ? How productive will be someone when he is working in an area that he doesn’t enjoy?



It seems to me that even University teachers some times fail to give good advice in this regard. As happened to me, after over expected result in DU ka unit admission test, I went to the then lecture of biochemistry department who is from my own district and asked his advice regarding admission . What would be good for me, Electrical in BUET or Microbiology in DU as I had already submitted my documents in BUET? He didn’t ask me what was my passion or interest? What I liked to study?

Even if parents go to senior professor for such advice, they hardly ask about the interest of student, what student enjoy to study. Normally advice is that the subject he is teaching is very good,has best prospect for Job or higher study. He can study this one. If not, then this or that is the next best option.


So I can not mention the name of subject but ask you help Amme to find out his passion, liking, and choice and allow him to study that subject.

This is the best suggestion I think I can make in this regard.

Shouldn't Science and Technology be an issue in Bangladesh?

Science and Technology is not an issue anywhere in Bangladesh, not in national budget discussions, not in newspapers and talk shows of TV channels, not also in the scientific communities, e-mail groups of scientists like bdresearchers, microbiologydu etc..

Neither Bangladesh Academy of Sciences nor other scientific professional organizations try to draw the attention of government for giving due importance to scientific research.

Shouldn't Science and Technology be an issue in Bangladesh? Can we change days without giving science and technolgy due importance? Will we be able to make progress at expected pace if we don't give due importance to scientific research and technology development?