ডিসকাশন প্রজেক্ট

Dhaka Day by Day Making Science More Approachable

 It was an unusual gathering at the small classroom in a Narayanganj Shishu Kalyan primary school on a warm July afternoon last year. Unusual not so much because of handful of people, most of whom were students, but because of what they were so animatedly talking about. It was not politics or literature that was the topic of the day but science, a subject so neglected in our country. Moreover, those present at the discussion actually paid tk. 50 per person just to attend this small science hungry people.
This system of bying tickets to go to a lecture or discussion is a common practice in many western countries. But for Bangladesh it is quiet a novel and no doubt, ambitious effort considering the subject of discussion.
Fllowing the tradition of the Greek scholars who felt it their duty to impart their knowledge to others as well as learn from them, a young man called Asif in a sleepy neighbourhood of Narayanganj held his first discussion session in his own home. Charging tk.25 per ticket Asif managed to attract only one discussant. This was the beginning of a series of discussion sessions of science arranged by Asif and a few of his friends. In 1992 the group held 39 programmes amounted to 1405 taka. In 1993, 33 discussion programmes yielded more than four thousand taka. 1994 was a particularly fruitful year with a total of 56 programmes earnning tk. 11,666. On good news is that he drew and sponcrships that allowed Asif to hold his sessions in various auditoriumms, including Biswa Shahitya Kendra in Dhaka in october `1995.
The topics discussed have been varied including the possibility of extraterrestrial civilization, evolution of Geometry, Introduction of Psychology, Special theory relativity, Big Bang, Origin of Galaxies, Origin of life and Search For the Second Earth.
For Asif and fellow associates this venture of creating a network of science enthusiasts has been extremly exciting. The main reason behind the idea of discussion for a fee is to enable the groups to hold such programmes regularly in public auditoriums allowing larger number of participants. “It is a cold truth”, says Asif, “that without financial assistance we cannot continue this effort”. But if we get it then it will be possible for ordinary people to get acquainted with scientific knowledge.”
Asif and his friends have given an open invitation to anyone who is interested in science and would like to be a part of this innovative group. This includes science ‘phobists’ who discarded the suject since their school days, For whom science may now become an approachable alien.

Writer: Aasha Mehrin Amin, it is Published in The Daily Star on February 20, 1996