Retired Trustees are honored in a special Board meeting

and felicitation dinner

29 Nov. 2011

                                                           

The 7 Trustees, who retired from the Board in October 2011, were honored at a joint meeting of the new and recently retired Trustees of the Board held at Platinum Suites hotel in Banani, Dhaka. At the meeting, they spoke of their rewarding experience during their membership in the BUETAA Board as Trustees and expressed high hopes about the future of the Association. The President of BUETAA, Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, awarded each of the retired Trustees present with a specially designed plaque that recognized his contribution to the Association. All Trustees had dinner together following the meeting. Dr. Taufiq M. Seraj, one of the retired Trustees, hosted the dinner.

  

The retired Trustees are: Engr. Md. Anwarul Alam (CE 1958), Engr. A.K.M.A. Rashid (CE 1961), Ar. Kazi Zahedul Hasan (CE 1962), Dr. A.M.M. Safiullah (CE 1969), Engr. A.K.M. Shamsuddin (ME 1969), Dr. Md. Abdur Rouf (1975), Dr. Taufiq M. Seraj (1976), Dr. M. Habibur Rahman (CE 1982), Dr. M. Ashraf Ali (CE 1988), Engr. Hafizul Huq Babar (ME 1996).

 

 

 

Fourth Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Election of 8 New Trustees

8 October 2011

The 4^th AGM of BUETAA was held on 8 October 2011 at IEB Seminar Room. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA. The meeting was attended by 75 members of the Association.

The salient aspects of the meeting were the presentation of the annual report of the Executive Director and the audited financial report of the Director of Finance & Treasurer. Both reports were discussed by 11 members present, who made a number of valuable suggestions concerning the future course that the Association should take to achieve its objectives and goal. Both reports were unanimously approved by the house. At the end, the Chairman responded to some of the suggestions and elaborated the present position about them.

Following the AGM, election was held to fill 8 vacant Trustee positions in the Board. Dr. Shamimuzzaman Bosunia, former Professor of Civil Engineering, BUET, was the Election Commissioner. As there were 8 candidates for the 8 positions, the Election Commissioner declared all of them elected unopposed. The newly elected Trustees are:  Engr. Mir Hafizul Hasan (ME 1963), Engr. Md. Eskender Hayet (CE 1966), Engr. A.K.M. Enayet Ullah (ME 1966),  Dr. Ar. Nizamuddin Ahmed (Arch. 1978), Engr. Moyeed Roomi    (ME 1983), Engr. Mahtab Uddin (EEE 1983), Engr. Miah Muhammadd Quayyum (CE 1984), Engr. Md. Abdus Sabur (CE 1993).

A list of all current Trustees and the Executive Committee members, with their  mailing address, is given below. 

 

  Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of BUETAA (Oct. 2011)

 

The names and addresses of the Members of the current Executive Committee (nos. 1-9) and Board of Trustees of BUETAA are given below:

 

1.  Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhury (1963), President      

    68 Elephant Road, Dhaka 1205

 

2.  Dr. Sadiqul Islam Bhuiyan (1963), Executive Director

    Apt 402, House 62, Road 27, Gulshan, Dhaka 1212

 

3.  Engr. Serajul Majid Mamoon (1964), Vice President for Programs & Development

    House 59, Road 9A, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209

 

4.  Ar. Mubasshar Hussain (1972), Vice President for Liaison & Public Relations

    MD, Assoconsult Ltd., Flat B1, Swapna Neer, House 29, Road 8, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205

 

5.   ⁺Engr. Abdur Rouf (1977), Director for Project Management

    2/10 Block-B, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207

 

6.  Engr. Muniruddin Ahmed (1979), Vice President for Member Relations

    MD, Star Delta Engg. Ltd. Adamjee Court (2^nd Floor), Motijheel C/A,  Dhaka 1000

 

7.  Engr. M.M. Abdul Alim (1981), Director for Finance & Treasurer

    Chief Engineer, BUET; 48/10-A, Dhakeswari R.A., BUET Campus, Dhaka 1000

 

8.  ++Engr. Mahtab Uddin (1983), Director for Member Services

     Bikalpa Engineering, 80/1 (1^st fl.), VIP Road, Kakrail. Dhaka

 

9.   Ar. Qazi Arif (1989), Director for Publication & Communication

     MD, Envision Architects, 6/17 (Gr. Fl.), Block E, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207

 

10. Engr. Moklesur R. Choudhury (1956)

     7E, Road No. 17, Banani, Dhaka 1213

 

11. Engr. Mahbubul Haque (1957)

     Managing Director, Bangladesh Consultants Ltd., House 95A, Road 4, Block F, Banani, Dhaka 1213  

 

12. Ar. Shah Alam Zahiruddin (1960)

     Siza Court, 152,  Monipuripara, Tejgaon, Dhaka 1215   

 

13. Engr. Atiqur Rahman (1960)

     958 Outer Circular Road, Rajarbagh, Dhaka 1217

 

14. Engr. MR Osmany (1961)

     A-401, Eastern Housing, House 11, Road 71, Gulshan-2, Dhaka 1212 

 

15. Dr. Md. Rahmatullah (1962)

     Apt 402, House 11, Road 62, Gulshan, Dhaka 1212                                             

 

16. Engr. ASM Quasem (1963)

     Chairman, Newage Group, 42/E Indira Road, Dhaka 1215

 

17. *Engr. Mir Hafizul Hassan (1963)

     33/22 Pallabi, Mirpur, Dhaka 1216

 

18. *Engr. Md. Iskender Hayet (1966)

     13 Eskaton Garden Road, lat 8-B, Dhaka 1000

 

19. *Engr. AKM Enayet Ullah (1966)

     House 36 (new), Road 27 (old) 16 (new), Dhmondi, Dhaka 1209

 

20. Dr. Md. Zoynul Abedin

     President, Teachers’ Association &  Professor of Civil Engineering  Dept., BUET, Ramna, Dhaka 1000

 

21. Dr. Ainun Nishat (1969)

     Vice Chanvellor, BRAC University, 66 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212

 

22. Dr. S.M. Nazrul Islam (1969)

     Vice Chancellor & Professor of Mechanical Engineering Dept., BUET, Ramna, Dhaka 1000

 

23. Engr. Md. Nurul Huda (1972)

     President, Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB), Ramna, Dhaka 1000

 

24. Dr. M. Aminul Hoque (1972)

     DSW & Professor of EEE Dept. BUET, Ramna, Dhaka 1000

 

25. **Dr. Nizamuddin Ahmed (1979)

     (Former Professor, Dept. of Architecture, BUET). Apt. B5E, House 75, Rd. 8A, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205

 

26. *Engr. Mahtab Uddin (1983)

     MD, Bikalpa Engineering, 80/1 (1^st floor), VIP Rod., Kakrail, Dhaka

 

27. Ar. Kazi Golam Nasir (1983)

     Deputy Chief Architect, Dept of Architecture, Govt. of Bangladesh

 

28. *Engr. Moyeed Roomi (1983)

     86/3 Kalaseya Bashiruddin Road, Kalabagan, Dhaka 1205

 

29. *Engr. Miah Md. Quayyum (1984)

     House 4, Road 18, Block C, Section 10, Mirpur, Dhaka

 

30. *Engr. Md. Abdus Sabur (1993)

     20, Green Corner, Green Road, Dhaka 1205

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Eleceted as Trustee in October 2011.

⁺ Elected as EC member in October 2011.

⁺⁺Elected as Trustee and EC member in October 2011.  

** Reelected as Trustee in October 2011.

Other Trustees continued from 2008.

All Executive Committee members, except names with ⁺ and ⁺⁺, were reelected in October 2011.

 

Special Reception Given to 1961 Graduates of BUET

28 July 2011

 

A special reception was organized by the BUET Alumni Association (BUETAA) to honor the 1961 batch of BUET graduates to celebrate their 50 years of  service as engineers. The reception was held at the auditorium of the Institution of Engineers (IEB) on 28 July 2011. Professor Dr. M.H. Khan, former Vice Chancellor of BUET was present as the Chief Guest and  Professor Dr. S.M. Nazrul Islam, present Vice Chancellor of BUET, as the Special Guest. Professor Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA , preside over the event. The reception was participated by about two hundred alumni, including forty one graduates of 1961 batch, some with their spouses. The program started with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an and doa for the BUET students and faculty who have departed from this world.

 

In his welcoming remark, Dr. Sadiqul Islam Bhuiyan, Executive Director of BUETAA, lauded the honorees for their outstanding contribution to the nation in not only technical engineering areas, but also in administration and  education. He mentioned that in 2008 BUETAA had started a tradition of honoring the graduates who have completed 50 years of service to the nation. This reception was the fourth in that series. He also recalled the birth of BUETAA in 2003 with only 30 members, which today has grown to an association with 2,500 members.

 

Ten of the 1961 graduates present spoke on the occasion and shared their unique experiences in life as students at the Ahsanullah Engineering College (the erstwhile name of BUET before 1962) as well as professionals. In his speech, Prof. Dr. S.M. Nazrul Islam appealed to all former graduates to become interested in the affairs of BUET and help their alma mater in all possible ways. The Chief Guest (Prof. Dr. M.H. Khan) expressed his appreciation to the Association for arranging this special event and for inviting him as its Chief Guest. He lauded the 1961 batch of graduates for their outstanding achievements in their professional as well as other constructive areas. He became philosophical in explaining that the bondage between students and teachers lives for ever, even after death. He wished the honorees long healthy life.

 

After a short recess for evening prayer and refreshments, each member of 1961 batch received from the Chief Guest a especially designed crest that symbolized BUETAA’s recognition of his 50 years of professional service to the nation.

 

In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, mentioned that the Class of 1961 was the pioneer in organizing the graduates of that year into a club that functioned very well. Following their lead, many year-based clubs were formed of BUET graduates in subsequent years. He congratulated them for their exceptional contributions to the nation. Referring to a question raised by one of the honorees, he gave a brief background of how the BUET Alumni Federation had resurfaced in late 2010, which was a surprise as it had no visible activity for the last 35 years. This development has created confusions among the alumni as many of them are members of BUETAA which has functioned well for the past eight years. He urged the BUET authority to establish the Federation to have only the clubs/organizations/associations (including BUETAA) as its members and to guide and coordinate their activities, which would be true to its name and benefit both the university as well as the alumni community.  Individual alumni would have the option to be members of the clubs/organizations/associations of their choice.

 

At the end of the formal part of the program, a musical performance by two well-established singers entertained the audience. Ar. Qazi Arif, Director of Publication & Communication, BUETAA was the Master of Ceremony for the event.

 

 

 

Charity show to raise fund for Engr. Yeadul Islam who is undergoing

cancer treatment in Singapore

23 July 2011

 

BUETAA, in collaboration with  IEB, APEC and BUET87, organized a  “Rabindra Shangeet Shandhya” by Rezwana Chowdhury Bonnya to raise funds for Engr. Yeadul Islam’s cancer treatment. Engr. Yeadul Islam is a 1987 EEE graduate from BUET and an officer in Bangladesh Navy.

 

A talented engineer in Bangladesh Navy, Yeadul researched on maritime laws and became an expert on the issues concerning Bangladesh’s disputes with Myanmar and India over maritime boundary limits. He contributed to Govt.’s preparation for the maritime boundary case that now is under consideration at the United Nations. Unfortunately, he was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Presently, he is undergoing treatment at the National University Hospital of Singapore. His family had appealed for financial help as the treatment will cost a large sum of money that is much beyond their means to raise.  

 

The charity show was held on 23 July 2011 at the IEB Auditorium. Ms. Rezwana Chowdhury Bonnya donated her time for this cause and presented a spell-binding hour of Tagore songs for the audience. She was accompanied by two other singers.

In total, about Tk. 10 lacs were raised by this event, Tk. 6.25 lacs of which came from several commercial organizations whom BUETAA President Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury had written to for donation. The remaining amount was raised through individual donations and ticket sale for the show. The total amount was handed over to Yeadul’s father-in-law of Yeadul Islam by BUETAA President on 17 August 2011. 

 

 

Seminar on

Earthquake Risk in Bangladesh and Measures for

Reducing Vulnerability

IEB Seminar Room     

4 June 2011

 

BUETAA and Civil Engineering Division Committee of IEB jointly organized a seminar on “Earthquake Risk in Bangladesh and Measures for Reducing Vulnerability” on 4 June 2011 at the IEB Seminar Room. Dr. Md. Abdur Razzaque, M.P., Hon’ble Minister for Food and Disaster Management, was present as the Chief Guest. Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, M.P., Hon’ble State Minister for Housing & Public Works, was present as the Special Guest. The Seminar was chaired by Engr. Md. Nurul Huda, President of IEB.  

 

Prof. Dr. Engr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA and an eminent expert on earthquake, made the keynote presentation. Three other earthquake specialists – Engr. Md. Abdus Sadeque, PEng. Director of Disaster Management Bureau, Prof. Dr. Engr. M.A. Ansary and Prof. Dr. Engr. Tahmeed M. Al-Hussaini, both of BUET, presented their views as discussants.

 

Dr. Sadiqul Islam Bhuiyan, Executive Director of BUETAA, welcomed the audience. He mentioned that this seminar is a part of several such events that BUETAA organizes each year. The last one was the national seminar on “Creating an Arsenic-safe Environment in Bangladesh” that was held in November 2010. He thanked the Chief Guest, the Special Guest, and the discussants for giving time to this event. He also thanked the Engr. Abdul Azim Joarder, Chairman of the Civil Engineering Division of IEB, for co-sponsoring the seminar.

 

The key note presentation of Prof. Choudhury focused on the science behind earthquakes, historical earthquake events in Bangladesh, factors responsible for vulnerability to earthquake damage, earthquake zoning of the country, and specifics of Bangladesh’s vulnerability. He stated that because of non-enforcement of the building codes, Dhaka has become one of the most vulnerable mega-cities of the world. Old Dhaka City, where there are many old buildings with unreinforced loadbearing brick masonry structures and other run-down structures in areas that are very densely inhabited, would be devastated by a major earthquake. He mentioned that about 26 million people in Sylhet, Mymensingh, and Rangpur live in Zone 3 of the Seismic Zoning Map of the National Building Code (BNBC 1993), i.e. area that are “liable to severe damage” and 78 million live in Zone 2 (Dhaka, Chittagong) that is considered “liable to moderate damage”. Thus, two-thirds of Bangladesh’s population is vulnerable to earthquake damage. His major recommendations were: (i) Existing weak buildings in Dhaka City must be identified and replaced or retrofitted in phases; (ii) Earthquake management plans must be prepared for Dhaka City, Chittagong City, Sylhet and Rangpur towns; and (iii) EPP (Earthquake Preparedness Programme) volunteers in the vulnerable cities and towns should be trained in raising community awareness and in carrying out post-earthquake search and rescue operations.

 

Engr. Sadeque, one of the discussants, put emphasis on using the retrofitting procedure for strengthening weak and risky public buildings that provide vital services to the people, including schools and hospitals. He also mentioned that gas and electricity supply lines should be fitted with appropriate auto-trip systems to avoid fire hazards from major earthquakes.

 

Prof. Ansary elucidated the point that many new buildings in the country are constructed on filled areas, with inadequate attention to proper design and construction of foundations to reduce cost, which make these structures highly vulnerable to earthquake damage. He emphasized that the responsible authorities must strictly adhere to the approved building codes for all new buildings, with no excuse allowed. He suggested that since the Govt. regulatory authorities (e.g. RAJUK for Dhaka) are short of resources to implement the building code, they should go for outsourcing the services to the private sector to help them implement the building code. The other discussant, Prof. Al-Hussaini, also emphasized the need for outsourcing the services to the private sector.

 

In his speech, the State Minister for Housing & Public Works stated that many  construction companies engaged in building houses are flouting the building code and Government’s regulations; these are very powerful people but he vowed that they will be penalized. He promised to uphold the recently enacted building code at any cost.

 

Dr. Md. Abdur Razzaque M.P., the Chief Guest, thanked the keynote speaker for his comprehensive presentation of the various facets of earthquakes in Bangladesh. He stated that large numbers of engineers, including Diploma engineers engaged in construction supervision, should be trained and engaged to help implementation of the building code. He promised that he will take the recommendations from this seminar to the highest authority and do everything possible to implement them.

 

In his concluding speech, Engr. Md. Nurul Huda, Chairman of the session, who is also the Chairman of Rajuk, the Govt. agency responsible for planning and approving the  design of buildings of Dhaka City as well as the implementation of the building code, explained that recently four special judges have been appointed to handle legal cases involving unapproved and poor quality building constructions. This would enable Rajuk to identify and penalize the building code violators. He also mentioned that Rajuk is seriously working on outsourcing certain activities of the organization. 

 

The seminar ended with a vote of thanks from the two sponsors, BUETAA and IEB-CE Div., and serving of refreshments. 

 

 

Grand Reunion 2011

BUET Playground

7 January 2011

 

BUETAA’s Grand Reunion 2011 was solemnized with befitting grandeur on 7 January 2011 at the BUET playground, with participation of more than two thousand Association members, their families and invited dignitaries.   

 

The Reunion celebrated the 40^th anniversary of the independence of our motherland Bangladesh. Two special programs were organized for this purpose:

 

·         The Inaugural function was adorned with the presence of three heroes of the Liberation War: Air Vice Marshal (Rtd.) A.K. Khandker BU, M.P., Hon’ble Minister for Ministry of Planning, (Deputy Chief of Staff Forces Commander), as the Chief Guest, and Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) K.M. Shafiullah, BU, (Sector Commander)  and Lt. Col. (Rtd.) Abu Osman Chowdhury (Sector Commander) as Honored Guests. [Sector Commanders Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) C.R. Dutta, BU, and Maj. (Rtd.) Rafiqul Islam, BU, were unable to be present due to personal reasons.] BUETAA President Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury presented each of them an especially designed crest that cited their heroic contributions during the Liberation War. In addition, five BUET alumni, who were decorated by the Government for their heroic performance in the War, were honored with this crest. The function was presided by Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury and the Vice Chancellor of BUET Prof. Dr. S.M. Nazrul Islam attended as the Special Guest.

 

·         A special cultural program was performed in the evening by the famous group Jagoron which presented songs and dances celebrating the spirit of the Liberation War.

 

The playground was beautifully decorated for the occasion and the crisp, cool weather enabled the participants to enjoy the whole-day event that was filled with fellowship, fun, and festivities. Special games were organized for children and ladies; the winners among them got attractive prizes. The “Smriticharon” and the Raffle Draw that gave away many attractive prizes kept the participants entertained in the afternoon. All participating alumni were presented with an especially designed bag made of jute, containing a journal especially published for the occasion and a number of attractive gift items. The delightful gastronomical experience during the day, which started with breakfast and ended up with dinner, deserves a special mention. 

 

All in all, the Grand Reunion 2011 was a memorable event for all participants.

 

Some photos of the event are shown below.

 

 

 

National Seminar on

Progress towards Creating an Arsenic-safe Environment in Bangladesh

13 November 2010

 

This national seminar was organized in collaboration with Delta Life Insurance Co. Ltd. of Bangladesh, which provided the financial resources to hold the event, at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on 13 November 2010. The Seminar highlighted the grave dangers that Bangladesh people in most of the 64 districts are facing from the presence of excessive arsenic in groundwater that is used for drinking and crop irrigation. It was participated by more than 100 selected participants representing concerned government programs, educational and research institutions, NGOs, international development partners, and local media. Nine research papers focused on various aspects of the arsenic problem and current mitigation programs of the government, including problems of human health and crop uptake of excessive arsenic from the soil-water system, and relevant socio-economic issues, were presented at the seminar by specialists on the subjects. Significant discussion took place after each presentation. The State Ministers for Science & Information Technology and Energy & Mineral Resources (respectively Ar. Yeafes Osman, M.P., and Engr. Md. Enamul Haque, M.P.) attended the seminar. The recommendations  brought to light the grave health hazards that millions of people of Bangladesh are likely to face if strong and concerted actions are not taken on urgently by the concerned public and private institutions of the country. The actions to be taken were also identified. The local community level initiatives needed to confront the situation to avoid disastrous consequences from drinking excessive arsenic-laden water were also highlighted. 

 

 

 

Roundtable meeting on

Light Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Industries:

What Prevents Us from Takeoff?

 

BUETAA organized, in collaboration with The Daily Star, a roundtable meeting on 17 July 2010 at the conference room of the newspaper at Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. About 25 participants representing the various stakeholder sectors such as the industrialists-entrepreneurs, policy makers, research scientists, concerned public sector professionals, and journalists attended the meeting. Mr. Dilip Barua, Minister for Industries, Govt. of Bangladesh, attended as the Chief Guest. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA.

 

Two keynote papers were presented. Dr. K. Siddique-e Rabbani, Professor & Chairperson of the Dept. of Biomedical Physics & Technology, Dhaka University, presented his paper with a sharp focus on small and medium size entrepreneurship (SME) on electrical and electronic Industries. Dr. M. Kamal Uddin, Professor & Director of Institute of Appropriate Technology, BUET, presented the other paper which addressed the issues of the light engineering industries (LEI) sector which has a huge potential for development but suffering from multiple barriers.

 

The LEI sector:

 

Dr. Kamal Uddin reported that there are about 40,000 industries that manufacture 25,245 types of LEI products in Bangladesh of which 15,500 types meet local needs, 9,500 types substitute import, and 245 types are solely for export. Abut 600,000 people are involved in the LEI sector and the 2009 turnover was about Tk. 140 billion. The LEI are clustered mostly in 25 of the 64 districts in the country. The major export items are: iron sheet, G.I. pipes, cast iron articles, aluminum household articles, iron chain, SS ware, machineries, diesel engine, motor parts, bicycle, light fittings, dry cell battery, etc. He identified insufficient capital support; lack of adequate provision for water, gas, electricity, telephone, and transport; inadequate government policies that discourage local production and encourage import; law & order problems; and non-tariff barriers as major macro-level hindrances to further development of LEI.

 

Among the micro-level barriers, he mentioned the following as major: inadequate material quality testing facilities, shortage of skilled labor force, faulty market situation that favors traders and smugglers over entrepreneurs, poor law & order condition, and high invisible costs (toll collection by hoodlums and harassment by law enforcing agents).

 

Dr. Kamal Uddin identified some of the important weaknesses of the two Government-owned institutions (BSCIC and BITAC) that are engaged in supporting SME and LEI sectors and recommended specific measures that the Government should implement to improve their service capacity. Also, he recommended a number of policy measures for the Government for addressing the barriers to systematic development of the LEI sector.                     

 

The Electrical and Electronic SME (EE-SME) sector:

 

Dr. Rabbani cited that in the Electrical area the main products are Fans (ceiling, exhaust), Cables (copper wire, plastic insulated), Electrical accessories (swichtes, sockets, etc.), Distribution boards, Electrical light fittings, Switch gears, Sub-station equipment, Transformers. These are mostly copy products and lack innovation. He observed that the copying skills of the involved people are good, but the knowledge needed to improve and excel is missing. This is one area on which the Government should invest heavily. In the Electronics area, both assembly and manufacture are entailed.

 

Dr. Rabbani emphasized that the present policy of the Government is antagonistic to  supporting the EE-SME sector. For example, presently, the total taxes paid for the component parts used for assembling a TV set is higher than the tax paid by the importer for bringing in an equivalent TV set from outside the country. No wonder, he said, that the TV assembly business, which flourished in early 2000s got completely wiped off. This policy was not due to oversight, it was imposed deliberately to favor the importers.

 

Electronic manufacturing SME includes manufacture of such items as voltage stabilizer/protector, small transformer, IPS, UPS, industrial and medical equipment, inverter, and solar PV circuit. The manufacture of some of these items suffer due to zero import duty on them whereas the locally manufactured items pay a total tax on components that range from 60 to 135%.  

 

Dr. Rabbani made some strong recommendations to the Government for promoting the EE-SME sector which has a vast potential in Bangladesh. Among them are: replace present VAT with 4% tax on total turn-over for small industries; establish a level playing field between manufacturers and importers; provide incentives for small industries by appropriate means such as tax holiday; help eliminate corruption by introducing check and balance in the taxation system (e.g. presently, the same entity (NBR) is empowered for tax policy formulation, implementation, adjudication for evasion – which promotes corruption and inefficiency); define “budding industries” (industries that have the highest scope for success) and provide them with special incentives; and formulate policies for small industries that promote innovation, job creation and saves foreign exchange.  

 

The Industries Minister Mr. Dilip Barua assured that the new industrial policy of the Government, which is at the final stage of adjustments and will be announced in a couple of months, will look carefully into the issues discussed and the recommendations made in the meeting.

 

 

Eid Reunion, Reception to 1960 Graduates,

and Annual General Meeting

Date:  2 October 2010

Venue:  BUET Auditorium

 

The Reception and Eid Reunion were held together, with Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA, as the Chairman and Prof. Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice Chancellor of BUET, as the Chief Guest. Mr. Serajul Majid Mamoon, Vice President of BUETAA, acted as the master of ceremony for the event.

 

Twenty four graduates of 1960 batch were honored and each one was awarded an especially designed crest as BUETAA’s symbol of respect for completing 50 years of service to the nation as engineer. It may be recalled that the first of such event was held in 2008 when the graduates of 1958 and earlier years were honored. Several of the honorees spoke on this occasion and entertained the audience by reminiscing some interesting and humorous happenings of their own academic life at BUET. All expressed their appreciation to the Association for organizing the event. In his speech, the Chief Guest expressed his felicitations to the 1960 graduates and appreciation to BUETAA for holding the program. He promised to extend his full cooperation and support to the various activities of the Association. The Chairman expressed his appreciation to the Chief Guest for his support and shared his vision for the future of a BUETAA with much more to contribute to the University as well as to the alumni community.  

 

The AGM component was presided over by Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA. Dr. Sadiqul Islam Bhuiyan, Executive Director, presented his Annual Report (see below). The Treasurer & Director of Finance (Engr. M.M. Abdul Alim) presented his annual report and budget. These were discussed by some of the participants; they also made a number of useful suggestions for the Association. Mr. Shubir Nandi, a highly acclaimed singer, gave a most enjoyable solo performance at the end of the program. Refreshments were served during a short break.

 

 

BUETAA Grand Reunion 2010: A Memorable Event

 

 

The BUET Alumni Association (BUETAA) celebrated its Grand Reunion 2010 in a festive manner on 5 February at the playground of BUET. It was a beautiful day with a clear sky, crisp sunshine and cool temperature. Dr. Wahiduddin Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor of BUET, was the Chief Guest at the Inaugural Session. Among the participants were former Vice Chancellors and Professors of BUET, present Vice Chancellor and faculty, BUET alumni (the senior most alumnus was a graduate of 1951) and invited dignitaries. The playground was tastefully decorated with festoons and two large areas under colorful shamiyanas housed the indoor activities -- one for the inaugural function, cultural function, etc. and the other for serving meals. In addition, a number of smaller stalls were erected for serving the various needs of the event.

 

Registration for the event started in the evening of the previous day (4 February) and then again at 8:00 AM of 5 February. Each registrant received an attractive gift package in a beautifully crafted shoulder bag made of jute. About 2,000 alumni and their families participated in the day-long event. The event got extensive coverage in the local media.

 

The Inaugural Function

 

The inaugural program was preceded by a festive, colorful balloon-releasing ceremony by the Chief Guest Prof. Wahiduddin Ahmed. It was chaired by Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of BRAC University and President of BUETAA. Engr. Serajul Majid Mamoon, a Vice President of BUETAA, acted as the Master of Ceremony for the event. Dr. Sadiqul Islam Bhuiyan, Executive Director of the Association, delivered the address of welcome. In welcoming all participants and invited dignitaries he mentioned that over the past few years BUETAA has emerged as a sustainable organization of the alumni and is gaining strength every year. He briefly reviewed the Association’s activities of the past three years. He mentioned that the Association now has a membership strength of about 1,700 -- a 41 percent increase from one year ago --, 225 of whom are Life Members. He urged all Members to get more closely involved in the activities of the Association and support its noble mission. He mentioned that all alumni who wish to be join the Association as well as those who had already joined as annual members should take advantage of the 50 percent reduction in the Life Membership fee that is now in force.

 

The participants were addressed by several of the distinguished alumni present, including Engr. Ghulam Md. Quader (1969, ME), Member of Parliament and Minister for Civil Aviation & Tourism; Engr. Imamuddin Ahmad Choudhury (1951, CE); Engr. Md. Hasanul Haque (1970 ChemE), Member of Parliament; and Engr. Ar. Kazi Zahedul Hasan (1962, CE). They reminisced their days at BUET and emphasized how valuable in their own lives has been the education they got there as students. They also expressed their heart-felt gratitude and respect to their teachers who had given not only the curricular education but also instilled values in life. In his speech, Prof. A.M.M. Safiullah (1969, CE), Vice Chancellor of BUET, cited some relevant facts and figures about BUET, and mentioned that BUET’s recent successes in international programming competitions have earned it new recognition in the world of information and communication technology. He also mentioned that the university suffers from lack of adequate resources and facilities for conducting research, and hoped that the BUETAA could play an important role in bridging the resource gap.

 

Engr. Kazi Zahedul Hasan, a member of the Board of Trustees of BUETAA, made the announcement that he would donate a full-fledged new building having state-of-the art facilities for conferences and an auditorium that would  be located at a suitable place of the campus. The announcement brought loud cheers from the audience.

 

The Chairman introduced Engr. Mohammad Abdul Lateef (1957, EE) and his family of 11 (7 sons & daughters, 4 sons-/daughers-in-law) all of whom are graduates of BUET. The youngest member graduated in 1996. Most of them participated in the Reunion. The President invited them all to the stage, congratulated them for the unique accomplishment and honored them with a special Crest designed for the occasion amid loud cheers from the audience.

 

Prof. Wahiduddin Ahmed, the Chief Guest, expressed his satisfaction over the fact that BUET Alumni Association is bringing together alumni at large and hoped that the collective effort will generate a lot of good results to both the University as well as the engineers’ community of the country.

 

In his concluding address Prof. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, President of BUETAA, proudly observed that BUET graduates are now professionally engaged in different countries of the world and thereby helping to make the University a globally well-known institution of technical education. However, he mentioned that, as science and technology is rapidly advancing, BUET must continuously strive to upgrade its educational standard, otherwise it will be falling behind competitor institutions. The Government should take this fact seriously and provide policy as well as financial support to achieve this objective. The President also mentioned that BUETAA could and should mobilize support of the alumni to help the University in all possible ways. On behalf of the Association he expressed profound respect and deep appreciation to the Chief Guest for attending the function, bravely overcoming his physical weakness. He also thanked the members of the Executive Committee of the Association, who had worked very hard for many weeks to make this event a success. Finally he thanked the alumni and guests present for their participation.        

 

The Gastronomical Experience

 

The Reunion offered a unique and enjoyable gastronomical experience for the participants that started at 8:00 AM with breakfast with pitha-puli, fruit and coffee. Lunch was served during the noon break when many performed their Jumma prayers. The afternoon snack comprised delicious snacks and coffee. The participants enjoyed a savory sit-down, full-service dinner at the end of the cultural function.

   

The Fun, Festivities and Recreation

 

The Reunion 2010 was designed to offer fun, festivities and recreation for all. An old-style musical band played by veterans of the trade welcomed the participants at the main entrance of the venue. There were a number of children’s and adult games, including a musical chair game for ladies. The games were keenly contested by the participants and winners were given prizes. Groups of class mates and old friends enjoyed part of the afternoon together relaxing at different shaded areas of the playground, gossiping and reminiscing the old days together at the University.

 

After lunch, the alumni enthusiastically gathered to take part in the Raffle Draw that had for winners many lucrative prizes donated by private companies. Engr. Serajul Majid Mamoon conducted the event, assisted by Dr. Nizamuddin Ahmed, The Raffle tickets had been collected in a special container during the morning hours. Small children from the audience were called in to the stage to pick up the winning tickets from the huge pile of tickets. The grand prize was an air ticket to Katmandu & return; among many other prizes were a video player and a color television.

     

A 2-hour cultural program in the evening was a high point of the Reunion. The cultural program started after dinner. Three well-known singers --Rukaiya Hasina, Shakila Zafar, and Andrew Kishore -- entertained with their songs that kept the audience spell-bound for the entire period. The Grand Reunion 2010, an event that most alumni had looked forward to enjoying, came to a close at about 10:30 PM.