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Nari Jibon Project seeks to increase our students’ and staffs’ abilities through different ways: classes, practice, computers, internet, and now the Narijibon Blog. Readers and writers (our students & staff) of the Blog will both learn about our lives, culture, Nature, activities of people in Bangladesh and the Nari Jibon Project.
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Their house is situated east side of Notun Bazar Nurarechala near America embassy under Badda thana. The name of their house owner is Mrs. Parul .
These four little girls want to study more and grow up well. They want to be educated and want to work at least in the garment factory. Some of them already went to the garment factories but they were not recruited as they were under aged.
My father was a Village doctor (Local medical fellow). He was also a farmer. He died of heart failure in the year 1991.My mother was a house wife. She can not work now due to old age. She is eighty five years running. We were four brothers and five sisters. I am youngest son of my parents. Two of my elder brothers died of heart failure in the past two years. My eldest brother was a business man and my immediate elder brother was serving in Bangladesh garments manufacturers and importers associations as chief accountant. All of my sisters are married and living with their respective family. My only living brother Prof. Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam is in Dhaka University. He is the founder chairman of the department of World Religion. He was also former chairman of the Department of Philosophy. He is now in USA as a Senior Fulbright scholar. His wife Prof. Dr. Azizun Naher Islam is the chairman of the department.
Two of my sisters are living in Dhaka near by my resident at Monipur, Mirpur-2.. Two sisters are living in Barisal and one sister is living in Cox’s Bazar. My mother is living in village where my father and two elder brothers were buried. We tried to take her Dhaka but she does not want to leave that place. She say’s in this respect that she can see her two son’s everyday but if she is taken to Dhaka how she would see them.
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I grew up in village and completed my primary education (Up to class five) from village primary school. Then I came to Dhaka and got admitted in Dhaka Udayon high school. I used to live at my elder brother’s house (Dhaka university teachers quarters) I studied up to class eight in this school and then again go to Barisal and got admitted in Shayestabad High school (in my village). I completed my Secondary school certificate course from this school. Then I got admitted in Barisal B. M College and completed higher secondary school certificate course from this college. I completed my B.S.S Hons and M.S course (bachelor of social science; in political science and Masters of social Science in political science) from Dhaka University.
Since my childhood I liked traveling. I liked to see new place and new people in the morning after woke up from bed. I used to visit my relatives houses who were living far away from my village. To see new place, new people, to know about their culture etc I several times fled away from my house with some money from my brothers pocket and or from his cash box. I used to come back when my money was finished. In this way I traveled most of the places of our country. I learned many things about people their lifestyle, their culture, food etc but it affected a bit of my study. When I was in School I was known as a good student. But due to my traveling/mentality I could not concentrate to my study and for that reason my exam result was not so good.
Since my childhood I used to read many books besides some selected book for my class. When I was Dhaka I used to go to Dhaka public library almost every day. I read most of the books that were for the growing aged children. But I did not like to appear before exam and for that reason I willingly missed many exams.
I was also very much fond of watching movie of home and abroad. I knew in every film shooting are taken in their countries nicest places. They show their culture, nature etc in the movies that attracted me very much. Several times in my student life I went to watch movie telling my parents/relatives that I am going to school or college.
In our country children are generally asked what they want to be in future. I was also asked. I told that I would like to be lawyer. I do not know why I told that. When I grew up and understood what lawyers do. I was bit upset. I knew lawyers can make an innocent man/woman guilty and at the same time they also can save a man/woman from punishment using law. People call it law business!!! People are getting punishment with out doing any guilt/offence and some people are saved by the lawyers who are really guilty. People might differ with my thought/comments but I really think so. I saw a man who was with me all day long but he was charged for murder in village and later he was sentenced to death for murder. I came to know about it later and I was seriously shocked to hear it. Any way I lost my aim in life. I did not think what I will do in future. I was continuing my studies and sometimes I used to go out of my resident to see new places, new people etc as I did before.
In my higher secondary exam I got highest marks in Economics but I got the opportunity to study in political science which I did not like. In our country most of the student can not study on the subject that they really like. Through study in political science I learned about politics, international politics, what a politician do, how politicians go into power what technique they use to get in power again etc. I had the opportunity to read Machiavelli’s The Politics.” I was surprised to read it.
As I did not like the subject my Hons and Masters results were not so good (Both were second class). My elder brother asked me to join in a college. But I did not agree. I told him “I did not like the subject/politics, how would I teach the student about politics”.
After completion of my study I started to work in a consulting firm where I worked for five years. In that consulting firm I was assigned to conduct/implement different types of research works in different area of the country. I was happy with the job as I could move around the country.
After leaving the consulting firm I joined in a business firm named Dekko accessories limited. I was assigned to implement an industrial project. But I could not continue the job as I had to give bribe (ghush) to get some work done from Bank and other Govt. organization that I did not like and for that reason I gave up that job. Later I joined ICDDR, B where I was also engaged in different types of research activities. I worked in International centre for diarrhoeal research Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) for about six years. I also had to leave the job due to transfer problem. I was transferred in a remote area of the country. I request the authority to change their decision but they did not change. Then I left the job considering my son’s education.
After leaving the Job I was unemployed for some months. I was looking for a good job. At that time I got to know about Prof. Kathryn Word from one of my relative who was working in ICDDR,B. My relative gave me her phone # and asked me to contact with her. I talked to her over phone. She informed me that she was looking for a supervisor for her research project and asked me to send my Curriculum vitae. I did so and few days later I was called for an interview. I was selected for the post. In the year 2003 I joined in her research project. It was a two years longitudinal project (2003-2005) between SIU-IUB (Southern Illinois University, USA and Independent University of Bangladesh). This project was collaborated Research on “Economic Restructuring, women work, and empowerment in Bangladesh.” She (Prof. Dr. Kathryn B.Ward, Executive director of Nari Jibon Project) was the principal investigator of that project. She is also the founder of Nari Jibon Project.
Through the research project I came closer to her; I got to know about her, her thoughts, aspirations etc. I must say that she is one of best lady that I have seen in my life who cries for the welfare of women of our country.
In the month of December 2005 her Research project was shifted to Nari Jibon Project office. Prof. Ward opened research section in Nari Jibon Project. In January 2006 I was appointed as Director of Nari Jibon research cell. Recently I was appointed as a Project Director of Nari Jibon Project.
Nari Jibon Project is to provide services and support to women students and workers of Bangladesh to receive basic educational and technological skills for employment, income-generation, empowerment, and business development. The project also provides connections to on-going employment, education, and livelihood opportunities, conducts and publishes quality research on these issues.
The courses of Nari Jibon Project are:
Bengali Course: For illiterate and low educated women.
Tailoring Course: Both low educated and educated women can do this course.
Computer Course: Educated women can do this course. They can learn
Computer Basic and Office Program, Computer Hardware &Trouble shooting, Graphics and Web Designing,
Beside these, to increase their skill they have the opportunity to learn English, Photography and know about ICT Magazine from Nari Jibon. Without these, we have Research Section where we have skilled manpower and equipments to conduct research on different issues.
To increase staff/student’s creativity on the different area Nari Jibon has setup an English & Bangla blog recently. Blogging is also a part of each course curricula.
We have got to know that blogging is a new way of learning, knowing the recent events, ideas and thoughts through website. We also have got to know that it is a web based diary where any one can write about them, their feelings, aspiration, and thoughts on different topics of home and abroad. It will give us our own voice on the web. Blog is the way to share ideas thoughts with others. People can organize their thoughts through blog. Blogging means working with many different media with emphasis on more writing.
So, I hope our staff and Students will be benefited through blogging. As a director of the project I have been backing the blog activities along with other programs here at Dhaka. But I could not give much effort on blog activities so far specially in giving posts on it. I hope to start giving posts soon.
I am committed to Narijibon. My goal/objective is to make the project a success and I will leave no stone unturned to make it success.
P.S. Sorry I forgot to tell about my wife and children. When I was a student of Masters final year I fell in love with a nice girl. I saw her in my younger sisters’ house. Her name is Tora. I fall in love with her at the first sight. She was one of the neighbors of my sister. My sister introduced her to me. She gave me salam and told me kemon achen (How are you?). I could not forget her saying,”Kemon achen?” As yet I remember her that nice sentence/voice. Any ways, we got married in the year 1993 (16, April) when I was in consulting firm. We have one son and one daughter. Our son Kazi Moinul Islam (Moin) is nine years old. He is reading in class three in Monipur high school and my lovely daughter’s name is Radia. She is two years running. We are happy with our children. We love each other very much. We tell each others what happens all the day. We share our happiness, sorrow tension/anxieties. I am very much proud of having a nice lady as my wife/my life partner.
Taslima Akter
Md. Golam Rabbany
Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa].
"I am Shamima Akter but everyone calls me Shikha, my nickname. Though my home district is Comilla but my parents came to Dhaka before birth.I grew up in Dhaka with my birth family. I have completed Secondary School Certificate and higher Secondary Certificate under the Dhaka Board. I have two sisters and two brothers and I am third issue of my parents. I worked in a NGO as a teacher where I used to teach `Kormajibi shisu' working children. I worked January 1998 to July 2004. Then I joined in Nari Jibon project until now. I am unmarried and I am living with my family. As I worked with many vulnerable children and family; I think, I will be able to write many informative reports on Bangladesh vulnerable women and their family. I think my efforts would be valuable for the Nari Jibon blog about Bangladesh and our people."
Mayanur Akter Maya