Every nation, in my view, has two lives -- the outer life and the inner life, or form and essence, if you will.
The outer life is what meets the eyes as it stands out in its myriad objective manifestations -- its territorial boundaries, the sea as nature grants it, the land, and the sky, and all beings -- animate and inanimate -- that inhabit the realms -- and indeed all artefacts -- big and small -- created by human ingenuity.
The nation’s inner life is a function of the founder’s vision and a people’s dream that inhabit the intangible sphere of the ideal, fashion the notion of sovereign self, animate the integral person of the state-being, and give it the reason to be. The inner life is the womb of the outer life.
Often referred to as the land of six seasons, rare confluence of ancient cultures and civilizations, cradle of the world-treasure of the Sundarbans, fenced in by the multitudinous Indian Ocean resting on no-height but with Keokradong rising to 1230 metres above sea-level, this precious part of our good earth, covering some 55, 598 sq miles, is the dear home of over 170 million inhabitants, fondly called Bangladesh.
This vision-child of the extraordinary Bangabandhu, revered Father of the Nation, the peerless Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, fruit of heroic struggles and sacrifices of millions, secured and nurtured by generations of brave citizens, the evolution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a dream surpassing itself, even as it plays an ever-deepening strategic role as a proud member of the global family of nations. The marvels of the Bangladeshi genius, the brilliance and industry of its citizens, and indeed the many blessings of the spirited land have propelled this surging giant to ever higher levels of success and prosperity, poised to graduate to the middle-income country category led forward by a visionary leader.
After many failures to honour kind invitations, and self-denials attendant upon competing priorities, I was finally able to make my pilgrimage to Bangladesh thanks to the undimmed vigil that my young guest from Bangladesh, Dr Shakil Ahmed, kept over the little spark that he felt during our brief conversation in my office in Thimphu many years ago.
Obviously, the incredible futurist, storyteller, and change-maker par excellence had managed to obtain a copy of My Green School and gone through it many times to explore and appreciate its core message even as he was visualizing the future of education in his own country. In one of our virtual calls facilitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, he broached the idea of a Bangla edition of my little book.
He built a team of incredible young minds and secured the invaluable services of a well-known writer, researcher, publisher, and retired senior civil servant, Dr AKM Mizanur Rahman, who undertook the challenging task of breathing a new life into My Green School: An Outline for Human and Societal Flourishing by enlisting the rich resources of the great language of a great people. Dr Dipu Moni, the Minister of Education in Bangladesh, was most gracious to grant a precious foreword that edifies our little book.
Translation is an act of faith. The translator has to dream the same dream as the writer, share the same vision, take the same road, and believe that there is something compelling in the work that is worth investing one’s time and effort in. The act of translation takes discipline, dedication, and patience to achieve as close a harmony between the original work and the translated text.
Little wonder, therefore, that Dr Rahman read my book over 100 times till he was satisfied with his labour of love. This explains the high quality of the result that Amar Shobuj Bidhyapith has achieved. Many potential translators in different languages gave up midway or after the initial few pages because “your book looks small, but its message is profound and has multiple layers of meaning, and often too difficult to penetrate,” as they would say.
Speaking at the formal launch of Amar Shobuj Bidhyapith on July 26, 2023, at Lakeshore Hotel in Dhaka, the chief guest, Dr Dipu Moni, confessed that she ended up underlining almost every sentence in the book and underscored the importance and relevance of the core message of the book as well as its timely arrival in the context of the transformative reforms underway in her country aimed at achieving Vision 2041 and building Smart Bangladesh.
Presiding over the launch-event, eminent national icon, Professor Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of the renowned Dhaka School of Economics, lauded the holistic view of education presented in the book. As well, well-known scholar, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of International Relations, University of Dhaka, H E Jishnu Roy Choudhury, former Ambassador of Bangladesh to Bhutan, Dr AKM Mizanur Rahman, former Director General and Commandant of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, and translator of My Green School, and Dr Shakil Ahmed, Co-founder, NextGenEdu, highlighted the merits of the book that make it a unique publication to address the many ailments afflicting education today.
In view of the limited time at our disposal, my thoughtful hosts made sure that I was able to meet and interact with as many stakeholders as possible and discover as much of the great country’s outer as well as inner life as the situation allowed. My formal engagements started with a meeting with some officials of BRAC, which involved deep listening and insightful sharing in a warm and informal environment. The Sherig Mandala seemed to have had a deep impact.
A visit to Korail Jamai Bazar School right at the heart of Dhaka’s biggest slum area was an experience that I will always remember with deep pain and humility. I followed the BRAC officials and my hosts through the twists and turns of a stench-charged, narrow footpath defined by rows of dingy little huts and nondescript shops and reached the one-room, single-teacher school with 30 students who had moved from Class I to reach Class IV and will complete Class V from here and take the road unknown.
Boys and girls, aged 11 to 14 years or thereabouts, stood up from the cement-floor under a melting tin-roof that let in sunlight and rain from its stray holes and greeted us as children do elsewhere. The two doors in front and two ceiling fans were feeble measures to address the sweltering heat aggravated by tin-walls.
In a supreme show of triumph over adversity, these jovial children went over their lessons on various subjects. They sang for us and danced for us in masterful control of their little universe. They even had questions for me. “How do you like our school?” was something I wasn’t prepared for when everything around me challenged my ideals.
Something struck me deep inside and offered help: “I see your school as a temple. And, you are 30 little lamps glowing with radiance.” It is my prayer that it be so. Soaked in sweat, with a lump in my throat, I wanted to feel their angelic being. So, I shook hands with each one of them before we took leave of them as they bade us their innocent goodbyes from the door. Children are children all over the world …
All through lunch at the BRAC Staff Dining Hall, and solemn prayers at the National War Museum, and the final session at the IID, the image of the school and the glow in the eyes of the children stuck with me.
The second day took us to the prominent National Academy for Educational Management (NAEM) at which some 60 senior faculty and the Director General were in audience for a session on the role of educators and the moment of truth as it visits potential educators.
We then rushed to the incredible Nalonda High School that is a world apart. Founded on the ideals of the ancient Nalanda University and nurtured on the vision of Rabindranath Tagore, this amazing seat of learning enrols children from PP to Class X from across Dhaka and beyond. Following a visit to several classes, we were ushered into the beautiful auditorium where the children presented patriotic songs and dances to welcome us.
I will never forget the scene of the children surging forward as soon as I ended my presentation and pushing each other in a bid to shake hands with me and to get me to autograph their notebooks, arms and palms or tiny bits of paper torn from friends’ books! An emotion-filled boy said he had never thought of a North Star to guide his life but will look for one now. His friend confessed that “green” will never be the same to him again!
Following lunch with the head teacher, Dr Sumana Biswas, and Secretary General, Nalonda Mahasamsad, Professor Manzar Shamim, we met the Director General and staff of a2i (Aspire to Innovate) a strategic service delivery policy programme of the government to enhance efficiency and innovation in a people-friendly ecosystem. The concept of the North Star for the nation was found to be of particular interest to my audience. The day ended with an extended adda with the staff of Teach for Bangladesh.
A visit to Daffodil International University on the outskirts of the city was to discover a world unto itself! The sprawling lush-green campus of over 100 acres and state-of-the-art facilities is home to some 30,000 students and over 3000 faculty and staff and aspires to be “a landmark to create the future,” as the 20-year old iconic university’s motto proclaims.
My talk on “Green Universities as instruments of nation-building” was already on the screens. A meeting with the illustrious Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr M Lutfar Rahman, followed by a quick round of the campus and lunch rounded off our unforgettable sojourn to what must stand out as a truly outstanding seat of learning in the country and beyond.
Throughout my engagements with heads of institutions, eminent citizens, important government functionaries, educational thought leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, change-makers, influencers, students and youth, I was humbled to discover a shared vision for the country and clear pathways forward to materialize that vision through innovation, enterprise, and creative collaboration among all stakeholders.
I am particularly fascinated by the country’s Future Education Plan that envisions open learning space, assessment for learning, school as a solution journey, self-adaptive learner, and shared responsibility for quality education. Pervasive zeal, indefatigable industry, and good cheer define the nation-building commitment of this multi-generational army of dreamers and doers dedicated to the making of a great nation, a beacon of hope unto itself and to the world beyond.
In the midst of my many engagements with my hosts and host-institutions, I discovered a constant -- the quintessential Bangladeshi trait of its inner life, the endearing spirit of goodwill, boundless warmth, and incredible hospitality. I was least prepared for all the big dinners with high-level dignitaries that my gracious hosts organized every single evening of my visit, including the hearty lunches, beautiful floral bouquets, and thoughtfully designed tokens of appreciation everywhere.
National memories run deep and fresh in Bangladeshi hearts. Wherever I went, I heard a common refrain -- Bhutan was the first country to recognize Bangladesh as an independent country. Overwhelmed and moved, I could only reaffirm the obvious -- that is what makes our bilateral relationship so special.
Individual citizens and public servants go beyond the call of duty to serve their country and advance our friendship. It was with infinite joy and gratitude that I met the former Ambassador of Bangladesh to Bhutan, H E Jishnu Roy Choudhury, who continues to advance goodwill and friendship out of office, as he did while in office.
I am very grateful to the Embassy of Bangladesh in Thimphu for their graciousness and prompt facilitation of my visit to Bangladesh. I am still moved by the kind courtesies, generous support, and goodwill that I received from our Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Dhaka and my dear students in important roles there.
“The size of our world is the size of our heart,” the wise ones had told us. This holds true for nations as well. I travel as a humble teacher in my individual capacity such as I am. But, the extraordinary warmth, incredible goodwill, and unconditional love and care such as I received in Dhaka turned a non-entity into a VIP!
In this burgeoning nation of myriad millions, dwellers of skyscrapers and humble huts, futuristic breakers of new grounds and toiling peasants, humanity flourishes in an eternal knot of shared dreams, kindred hopes, looking at the sea, and the land and the sky, as the great sages and seers of yesteryears looked, to decipher the mystery of the unknown and to receive the promise of the knowable.
This is Bangladesh, the golden land, Sonar Bangla, looking into itself, and embracing the wide world in the sublime spirit of peace, brotherhood, and goodwill.
It is with deep humility and joy that we dedicate Amar Shobuj Bidhyapith, the Bangla edition of My Green School, to the sublime spirit of our exemplary Bangladesh-Bhutan friendship.
May the silken knot of our sacred Bangladesh-Bhutan relationship grow ever tighter with each passing year and inspire our nations and peoples to reach ever higher destinies of human and societal flourishing and well-being as we look ahead …
Thakur S Powdyel is the former Minister of Education of Bhutan. This article was previously published in the Bhutan Times and has been reprinted with special permission.