The Leaving of Dhaka

Today is our last day in Dhaka and tomorrow we go to Kathmandu and then on to Bhutan, a trip we are very much looking forward to. In the meantime I guess I should be reviewing my stay here and try and record my overall impressions.

First, on a personal level we continue to find the hospitality and friendliness of Bangladeshis overwhelming and in a way quite humbling. We certainly don't treat visitors to Australia with the same degree of commitment. These personal relationships, with students, ex-students, colleagues, friends we have made and just people we meet in the street make our visits to Dhaka memorable. Our social life is pretty good to!

The university goes from strength to strength. In five years the numbers have built up from around 200 to nearly 2000 and the reputation is very sound. Good young faculty have been appointed and the experienced members continue to add lustre and prestige. It's the first convocation on July 1 and I can't make it, much to everyone's regret, because we will be in Portugal. Everyone is excited! One of the oddities of the private university system in Bangladesh is that the President is the Chancellor of each and every university, some 54 and he has to have a new set of robes for each convocation. I think this is a situation that needs to be reformed and the universities should be able to appoint their own Chancellors from among the great and good of Dhaka.

And now for some worries!

1] The continuing chaos on the roads. Everyone complains and various solutions are suggested but nothing really changes. It seems the police are reluctant to enforce the rules because they don't know who the offenders are. If they charge an 'important figure' they could lose their jobs. So law and order remain an important issue. Until the law can be enforced without fear or favour many of the problems confronting Bangladesh will remain.

2] The thugs who control the BCL are causing havoc in the public universities. The Awami League seem reluctant to reign them in and so they continue to intimidate students and faculty alike on the campuses. The effects on education is incalculable.

3] Poverty!!

4] Corruption!!

5] The absolute need to end dynastic, tribal politics which are in reality a form of feudalism.

More later when I have the time and can be a bit more objective. When I write poverty, corruption and politics the anger begins to rise. ordinary Bangladeshis deserve better than they have.