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Call on the Honorable President and Chancellor Prof A Q M Badroduza Chowdhury at Bangabhaban on November 28, 2001 by the Board of Governors of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) led by its Founder and Vice-Chancellor Prof M Alimullah Miyan

1. Felicitation to Prof Chowdhury for assumption of the office of the President of Bangladesh and becoming the Chancellor of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT).
- Presentation of IUBAT Website Cover Page
- Request for Portrait and message for posting at the latest revision of the website, now in progress

2. Gratitude to the President for encouraging initiating of IUBAT by being the Chief Guest of the first Certificate Awarding Ceremony of the Disaster Management Workshop on September 11, 1991 as the Education Minister at Meteorology Bhaban auditorium.

- Presentation of album containing as many as 70 pictures on the presence of the President in different ceremonial functions of the university as the Chief Guest.

3. Appraising the Chancellor on IUBAT

- Presentation of IUBAT Bulletin
- Primary mission is human resources development for personal and social upliftment
- Programs in business, computer science, engineering, agriculture and economics
- New program on Hospitality Management started to meet the manpower need of 12,000 Bangladeshi restaurants in the UK. Restaurant industry, owned by persons of Sylhet, is facing qualified manpower shortage and the program has been launched with assistance of Sylhet community at Tower Hamlet, London and Cardiff in this year. A Cardiff based charity of Bangladeshis from Sylhet are working with IUBAT for development of this program and will visit Dhaka & Sylhet in January, 2002. Priority goal is to create skilled hospitality personnel for employment in the restaurant industry in the UK and promote hospitality & tourism industry in Bangladesh.
- Nursing program has received concurrence of Bangladesh Nursing Council and awaiting some formalities for formal launching. A 4 year degree curriculum reflecting North American, Australian and European Union requirements have been developed in collaboration with American, Canadian, Australian and Dutch universities. Bachelor of Science in Nursing is geared to improving quality of health services in the country and to meet tremendous shortage of nurses in many countries of the world.
- International links with 34 universities and membership in a number of academic bodies including Association of Commonwealth Universities, London, Graduate Management Education Council, USA, Global Consortium of Higher education and Research for Agriculture, USA.
- English is the medium of teaching and computer course is compulsory for all students. With professional approach, the program focus is business, agriculture, science & technology for employment generation and creation of wealth for the nation. IUBAT graduates are now all employed and some are good entrepreneurs creating jobs for others.
- Presentation of Convocation Souvenir.
- Permanent campus is under development at Sector 10, Uttara Model Town. A 15 storied building is under construction and two floors have been already built.
(Presentation of drawing of 1st building)
- Agricultural Extension campus at Bandarban on 100 acres of land being taken-up for development.
- Presentation of IUBAT Newsletter.

4. Development Role of Universities: IUBAT deals with the problem sectors of the society and development issues through specialized centres. Issues that are receiving attention are energy sector, environment and disaster management. Centre for Policy Research has published the monograph on natural gas and the second monograph on rural electrification is almost ready.

- Presentation of the Natural Gas Options for Bangladesh monograph.

5. Higher education should be accessible to all capable students with no discrimination on ability to pay for the same on current basis. To make this possible IUBAT offers scholarships, grants, student loans and other supports. An Educational Co-operative and Financial Assistance Fund has been established. Insurance scheme has been adopted as collateral for student loans.

6. The student loan scheme should be expanded in the country by setting aside a portion of the higher education budget of the Government. Students will repay the loan during the occupational period. In this process a replenishable fund can be created as well as educational access, quality and accountability can be enhanced. This can take on the concept of ‘Karde Hasana’ fund. Establishment of an Educational Bank can go a long way in developing sustainable professional education in Bangladesh.

7. Universities in the country should be made self-reliant through generation of own resources to support the revenue budget, while the financially handicapped can be taken care of by extensive use of scholarships, grants, burseries as well as repayable student loans.

8. Grateful thanks to the President for allowing people’s participation in higher education through nurturing the non-government university idea as the Education Minister and paving the way for passage of Besharkari Bishabidalya Ain – 1992 in the Parliament. The Founder of IUBAT recalls with pleasure his work association in this process.

9. Non-government universities are transforming the university education process in Bangladesh. Reforms have been effected in undergraduate curricula in all universities by adopting 4 year international model, semester system, education medium and approach. If student financing under loan scheme is adopted as a policy instrument, far reaching positive changes will take place in the higher education field. Such a policy will gradually tackle problems of session jam, academic mismanagement, indiscipline and groupings in academic institutions.

10. The Non-Government University Act was amended in 1998. The amendments were regressive and provided scope for bureaucratic control of non-government universities and this should be looked at.

11. Draft of a ‘Bidimala’ has been prepared by the University Grants Commission which in effect is contrary to the Act of 1992. Issues dealt in the draft Bidimala are mostly the internal matter of an university and to be regulated by Statutes formulated by the university and approved by the honorable Chancellor (Section 17 of the Act of 1992). Attempts are being made to circumvent this process through formulating Bidimala and promulgating the same in the form of Notification. This is part of the process initiated through the amendment of the Act in 1998 and the same group is trying to convert the non-government universities into public university frame and thereby distort the reform process initiated through the Act of 1992. Protection from the Chancellor is desirable to preserve the concept and spirit of Non-government Universities Act of 1992.

12. Restatement of felicitations and grateful thanks for allowing the team to call on the honorable President and Chancellor.   
                          [See this event's pictures]

[1] Prof Dr M Alimullah Miyan
Founder and Vice Chancellor
Chairperson, Board of Governors (BG)

[2] Prof Mahmuda Khanum
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Member Board of Governors (BG)

[3] Col (Rtd) Md Shafique Ullah, BP
Treasurer
Member Board of Governors (BG)

[4] Dr Md Abdul Wahed
Professor (Rtd)
Dhaka Medical College
Member Board of Governors (BG)

[5] Mr Abdur Raquib
Executive President
Islamic Bank (Bangladesh) Ltd
Member Board of Governors (BG)

[6] Ms Selina Nargis
Head, Administrative Unit
World Food Programme
Member Board of Governors (BG)

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