National Seminar on SDG held at IUBAT

IUBAT—International University of Business Agriculture and Technology organized a daylong National Seminar on Sustainable Development goals in its campus on 21st November 2019. The theme of the seminar was “Ways to achieving SDG educational targets 4.3, 4.4, 4.7 in Bangladesh”. Principal Coordinator of SDGs, Prime Minister Office Mr Md Abul Kalam Azad highlighted the seminar as the Chief Guest. The seminar was organized by IUBAT Institute of SDG Studies (IISS) and Knowledge-Based Area Development (KBAD) unit of the university. 42 Principals of different colleges were present in the seminar to have their orientation with SDGs invited by the organizers. Many representatives from other private universities and NGOs participated in the seminar.

Professor Selina Nargis, Treasurer and Executive Director of IISS gave the welcome speech. Professor Mohammed Ataur Rahman, Director of IISS and KBAD in his Keynote speech highlighted the vision of Professor Alimullah Miyan that was to establish an education bank to finance higher study for ESD skilled human resource development. He added that Professor Miyan postulated KBAD with the view to provide financial support to all meritorious but needy students with a target for creating at least one professional graduate from each village of Bangladesh by 2030 to make Bangladesh as a prosperous country. He also mentioned that IUBAT had provided 16.5 crore taka scholarships and 2.0 crore interest-free loan to the students in 2018.

Mrs Sun Lei, Educational Programme Specialist of UNESCO discussed Global Citizenship Education of SDG 4.7. Among the special guests Mrs Sultana Afroz, Additional Secretary, ERD, U.N. praised the initiative of IUBAT and deeply expressed to work with IUBAT. Mr Abdullah al Hasan Chowdhury, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Education acknowledged the education financing KBAD programs of IUBAT for the marginalized poor meritorious students of the villages of Bangladesh. The Chief Guest Principal SDG coordinator Mr Azad well demonstrated the planning of Bangladesh government to achieve the SDG targets within 2030 and focused that it is a high priority area of Bangladesh government. Bangladesh government is determined enough to set an example in the world as like their previous success in achieving the targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). His speech was so inspirational to all. He also played the SDG theme song of Bangladesh.

Professor Dr Abdur Rab, Vice-Chancellor of IUBAT, presided over the ceremony. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Hamida Akhter Begum led the Technical sessions with closing remarks.

Professor Dr KMS Aziz chaired the technical session and Dr Ferdous Ahmed summarized the technical session

In the first technical session, Dr Dastagir presented a paper on ESD at IUBAT. After that, an open floor discussion was made with college principals.

Papers were presented by Professor Dr Sayadur Rahman, Professor Dr Mujibur Rahman Khan, Professor Mr Lutfar Rahman, Dr Rajib Lochan Das, Professor Dr Monirul Islam and Ms Rifat Sumona Mollik and Mr Mohammed Fakhrul Islam from Stamford University.

Dr Rehan Dastagir, Deputy Director of IISS gave the vote of thanks.