It is unfortunate that in the universities of Bangladesh, research is hardly a priority-- even in the public ones, not to mention private ones, given their questionable quality of education. Moreover, there is also a glaring lack of appreciation for budding scientists to improve knowledge in different public universities of the country.
It is in every body's knowledge that suitable environment in universities is very important to promote and nurture the budding minds. The universities across the country should take initiatives to build scientists and technologists and provide well-equipped laboratory facilities and guidance for students and young teachers to work there for advanced specialised scientific and technological knowledge.
Unfortunately, most of the science and technology graduates-- however small they are in number in comparison to the requirement of the country-- are employed in bureaucratic and other administrative posts in both public and private organisations. Moreover, in most of the cases inadequate or insufficient facilities for scientific research also reduce scientific and technological output of researchers in the country. Side by side, lack of institutional incentives to publish research papers discourages prospective researchers in different disciplines of knowledge.
Under the circumstances, the government should come forward to extend adequate financial and other relevant support to the prospective and capable scientists and researchers in all branches of knowledge. There is a national Science Policy in place but it will be effective only if it spurs positive change in providing suitable jobs to the trained scientists and researchers so that they can suitably use their scientific knowledge within the country, otherwise they will flee the country for better job abroad.
Instead of well-focused government initiatives, piecemeal measures are taken now and then that eventually does not leave any sustainable impact. We want to believe that there is no shortage of brilliant scientific minds in the country now. But what is absent is encouragement and proper funding which may ensure technologically advanced future for the country. The only way to make any science policy a success today is political and financial support to that end. But unfortunately we have sufficient ground to doubt whether the authorities are totally committed towards this end.
While we continue to see, unfortunately, sheer wastage of public money in inconsequential projects and activities, promising scientific and technological endeavours are being forced to abort for lack of allocation of adequate funds. In a country like Bangladesh today, it is the sufficient availability of scientific and technological know-how which can determine the future development of the society.
Bangladesh is a developing country with limited known natural resources and an ever burgeoning population on a small piece of land, which can only be developed through applying up-to-date scientific and technological means and knowledge to its various sectors of the economy.
Experience shows that a healthy and respectable nation cannot be built through buying scientific and technological know-how from outside. There must be adequate development of scientific and technological knowledge and increase of scientists and technologists and the use of such expertise within the country itself. We are to keep in mind and never forget that this is an age of science and technology. There is no alternative path for development.
Therefore, our universities as well as the authorities concerned need to realise and prioritise scientific and technological knowledge and research to utilise the tapped and untapped resources of this gradually advancing country.
The writer is a retired Professor of Economics,
BCS General Education Cadre. [email protected]
