FROM KUALALAMPUR: The name of the national university of Malaysia is ‘University of Kebasang Malaysia(UKM). Meritorious students of different countries are studying here.

Bangladeshi students are showing their merit here.
A large number of Bangladeshi students are studying here for Ph.D and Masters courses.

Banglanews had a cordial discussion with them studying at Kebasang University located at Bangi. It discussed on the education system of Bangladesh. During discussion research in higher education, financial grants, preparing themselves in Malaysia and also about own country came up.

In the long discussions, Bangladeshi students are more interested than any one. “Though our education system is old, the quality of our students is good,” they said.  

Aminul Islam of Comilla is the president of Bangladeshi student’s community here. This young man has completed his post graduation on physics at Chitagong University. Now he is doing Ph.D at Solar Energy research Institute.

Aminul is here at UKM since April of 2009. According to Aminul, the basic difference of education of Bangladesh and Malaysia is the criteria of teachers. According to him teacher is the most vital part of education. No one can become a teacher after passing only honours. The teacher has got a responsibility too.

In our country one teacher becomes Associate Professor doing almost nothing. Only four teachers have become Professor during last four years. The teachers here have a definite target. How many students have done Masters under him is considered.

Teachers are to do research work here. Our teachers generally do not storm their brain after they get appointment as Lecturer.  But here a teacher has to work, do research and work also as supervisor of the students.
 
According to the students the knowledge of the teachers here is much more. They cultivate their knowledge among the students. The students are always found in the pressure of study.  For this reason the students or teachers do not get enough time for hobnobbing in politics or other matters. Everybody has got the matter of evaluation. Even the teachers do not get chances to get involved with social organizations.

Arif Sobhan Bhuiyan, doing Ph.D in IC here told that, “In our country, the education is not research based.” He completed his post graduation at Applied Physics from Chittagong University.

He told, “Our theoretical knowledge is much but the Malaysian students possess more practical knowledge than us.”

Regarding the salary of the teachers he informed that here they get more handsomely than ours. However, other students told that here the teachers are getting handsome salary in exchange of hard labour.

In 2009, an Assistant professor used to get 2300 Ringit while now they draw 5,000 Ringit and they have increased their salary by showing their efficiency.

However, everybody was unanimous that without handsome salary no one gets interest in teaching. Salary gives them security.

Siddik Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Chittagong International Islamic University came here in 2012 for Ph.D in Environment and Development. He said the basic difference of ours and Malaysia in the education system.

Here everything is systematic and there is fund enough.
The students mentioned that there is least research work in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh only 2,000 to 2,500 research works are published in a year whereas here in one university more than this number is published.

They alleged that our teachers teach the same thing throughout the whole life.

Towhid Hossain of Dewanhat of Chittagong, who is completing his Ph.D in Solar Energy completed his graduation and post graduation both from Malaysia told that here nothing is imposed on the students for studying even at under graduate level.

He told that here the environment is multicultural and welcoming.

Salehin Kibria is doing Masters in Space Science at Institute of Space Science (ANCASA). He is the president of the students association elected through getting votes of 56 students.

He informed that “I will recommend Bangladeshi students to come here for study by collecting correct information.”
Kazi Sajedur Rahman, who is doing Masters in Solar Energy told that here is a great opportunity to be known with the cultures of many nations.

Anisur Rahman, a student of Communication Engineering who did his graduation from Rajshahi Engineering University stressed the need for research fund and farsightedness of the teachers.

“It is learnt from the students about an embarrassing experience of our teachers and bureaucrats who undertook a foreign trip to Malaysia. Few days back 11 Additional Directors of Bangladesh Geological Survey department came here who only did shopping and nothing else. There was no work at all.”

“Again 15 teachers of Rajshahi University came here but they only returned home after travelling hither and thither and then quarrelling amongst themselves,” he said.
 
After serving at Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Aminul came here for higher studies informed “The machineries in our country are much better but our mentality must be changed.”

Fiazul Haque Sabab who did his honours from United International University told, “In Bangladesh, it requires condition. Here you cannot appeal if you lose your government job but you can if it is a private job. You cannot do here whatever you like.”

Mentioning about the UKM system of education he informed that here a professor is downgraded to the post of a lecturer if he fails to fulfill the target.

Towhid informed Bangladeshi teachers become labourious here but in own country they become lazy. So there must be accountability of teachers. “I don’t know when this will happen.”
 
He also said, “Regarding the fund for research work of World Bank in our country received in 2010-11 remained unutilized, the fund returned as there was no research work. But here the teachers collect fund from outside for research.”

“In our country the government must take initiatives, must monitor the whole situation. Here every ministry’s research unit has connection with the universities. It exists also in our country but not in a regular way. If it happens then the universities will be under pressure,” he added.
 
It is possible to do better in our country if facilities like here are provided in our country, observed everyone.

They alleged that the people living at Kualalampur are doing politics of the country and they are spoiling the academic environment of this place.

Towhid alleged that there should not be any politics during learning stage but few students are fomenting politics here.

The Bangladeshi students are living here with unity. There is a separate website of Bangladeshi students in the UKM website, Aminul informed.

He told “We help the newcomers. It is learnt that most Bangladeshi students live in Henting and Kajang.”
 
Siddik informed that those who get GRA their financial support are stopped. They face trouble but we help them.
Here on every Sunday the Bangladeshi students and teachers play cricket in the university field.
On national days of Bangladesh the students organize various functions to present Bangladesh to the other country’s students.

If you visit http://www. iscukm.com/#isc-photo-gallery/cyyf link then you can know more about the Bangladeshi students studying at UKM.

BDST: 2205 HRS, NOV 18, 2013
Edited by: Shahjahan/MZR