Bangladesh can manage megaproject without foreign fiat: Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury to engineers in Toronto

BUET Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury says Bangladesh can now manage multi-billion dollar development projects at ease, thanks to high GDP growth and local engineers.

He was addressing a group of around five hundred expatriate Bangladeshi engineers and architects in Toronto on Sept 8 as the Chief Guest at BUET Night, the annual gala event of the BUET Alumni Association Canada. The family members of the alumni also attended the program, held at the Markham Convention Centre at the east end of the city.

"You all know that the World Bank cancelled a loan of $1.5 billion it promised for Padma bridge. The global lender's decision paved the way for Bangladesh to build its capacity in handling megaprojects like Padma bridge," he said.

Photo: Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury speaking at the event

"Some graduates from BUET who are now working at international companies became members of the international panel of experts for the mega projects," he added.

"For the first time local experts have been given full responsibility for overall project management," said the national professor.

As the chairman of the International Panel of Experts engaged for advising the government on this project, he said, the Bangladesh government took a very big challenge to implement the project after the fallout with the World Bank and other international lenders due to the allegations of corriuption.

He lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her bold decision to take up the challenge and implement this huge project with ‘our own resources and with our engineers overall in charge of the management of the project’.

Professor Choudhury said, "This was a huge challenge and can be considered a game changer for future projects."

‘If we can complete this project successfully, I am sure, in future, the government will depend more and more on our own engineers and other professionals to manage the projects," he said amid applause from hundreds of engineers many of whom had come from cities Canada and the neighbouring US to hear their former teacher speak.

He said the government was now ready to put their confidence in Bangladeshi engineers including those who gained similar knowledge and expertise in other countries.

Photo: Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury speaking at the event

He advised the association to prepare the database of all the members who are working in different fields in Canada so that they can easily access the database and select professionals who may be called to provide their expertise in large infrastructure projects in Bangladesh.

Professor Choudhury also said work was being undertaken for accreditation of Bangladeshi degree and academic programme under the Washington Accord. Currently, 20 countries are signatories to this accord, and Bangladesh has been given 'provisional' status.

He sought help from alumni members who are currently working as academics in universities so that the country could achieve full status by 2020. With full status, the engineering degree and programme accredited by local Accreditation Board will be similarly accredited by all the signatory countries in the Accord.

The event was presided over by Dr Delwar Hossain, the president of the BUET Alumni Association Canada. The event started with national anthems of both Bangladesh and Canada and was officially opened by Kamrul Islam, the convenor of the event.

Photo: Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury speaking at the event

Amongst the others who spoke on the occasion were Dr Bakte A Kamal, the senior most alumni from early sixties and Md Abdur Rauf, a trustee and executive of BUET Alumni, the central association based in Dhaka, who has accompanied Prof Choudhury from Dhaka to attend the reunion of its chapter association in Canada.

The association accorded a reception to a daughter of an alumnus, Mirza Nahiyan, who became the top scholar in Toronto District School Board last year. Dr Choudhury congratulated Nahiyan Mirza for her extraordinary success and presented her with souvenirs on behalf of the alumni.

The association has also honoured a dozen faculty members who are currently teaching at Canadian universities all over the Ontario Province.

The event was moderated by Abdus Salam and rounded up by a gala dinner and a cultural show.