Bangladeshi material scientist Dr Saniyat Islam, a recent PhD graduate in Australia, has come up with a groundbreaking innovation that has the potential to revolutionise the manufacture of clothing material used in medical care.
Dr Saniyat, graduating from RMIT school of Fashion and Textiles in Australia, left for his masters degree in science in 2006.
Before Australia, he had completed his education from Bangladesh University of Textiles and worked in the country for a few years.
“While working here, I conceived these ideas and wanted to do further research,” he said, adding that he took off for Australia as it offered better research opportunities compared to Bangladesh.
It took him a little more than two years to complete the Masters degree. Saniyat said he has been working with chitosan – which is the centre of his recent innovation – for seven years now.
So, what is his research about?
Saniyat has been working with chitosan, an “amazing polymer,” as he describes it, that can be derived from seafood waste and can be utilised in a wide range of applications spanning from dietary supplements to drugs to medical use.
“It is the most abundant of the polymers,” he told the Dhaka Tribune in an interview over Skype.
“It is a win-win situation if you can utilise waste materials and produce something further useful out of it. It boosts sustainability as well,” he asserted.
Chitosan is a natural polymer found in the shells of prawns, crabs and other crustaceans, and contains some useful chemical properties which, thanks to Saniyat’s research, can now be used cost-effectively for medical purposes, like making dressing materials for wounds.
For his masters research, Saniyat had used the polymer as an odour-absorbing and anti-bacterial material for products such as car seats to alleviate bad odours.
During his PhD, he took his research a step further when he discovered that it could be applied in the field of medical care. By mixing chitosan with wool, it gave the polymer excellent moisture-absorbing properties.
This combination, Saniyat discovered, helped produce a dressing cloth for wounds that is highly absorbent as well as has excellent anti-bacterial qualities.
Away from home
Saniyat said Bangladesh still relies mostly upon theories when it comes to textile exploration, whereas developed economies – such as Australia and other countries of the western world – focus more into on the “technical” aspect of textiles.
For example, while Bangladesh deals with textiles largely in the context of apparels and clothing, Australia has expanded its focus to other factors, like automobile seats and bulletproof vests.
While working on this topic for his masters in Autralia, he explored these boundaries yet to be crossed in Bangladesh. He delved further into it this quest during his PhD.
The son of retired economics professor Md Nazrul Islam Mazumder and Sultana Razia, a DGM at Sonali Bank, Saniyat had previously worked at a couple of renowned organisations in Bangladesh including Square Textiles.
He said his experience of exploring beyond the limited cubicle of research work in Bangladesh had revolutionised his thinking process.
“My thoughts took a different course after coming here to Australia. I found that they had provisions for research on so many aspects of textile and material – ranging from diapers to hospital curtains to vests and so on,” said a contented Saniyat.
“Bangladesh still lags far behind when it comes to providing the scope for such in-depth research, largely because of a lack of awareness about the wide array of research that could be done in this field,” he said.
Closing thoughts
Saniyat’s innovation might have been conducted in Australia, but it can be implemented in the context of other countries as well.
“It’s cost-effective, and my samples have been tried against those from many contemporary companies, and they were proven to be 25-30% more efficient,” he claimed.
However, some challenges still remain. Some ground tests have yet to be conducted, the researcher said.
Saniyat is currently looking for funds to boost the project, and in the meantime has been offered a two-year fellowship at RMIT.
“No matter how many challenges lie ahead, we cannot stop, we have to keep going,” he said.
Since Bangladesh is heavy on textile production and export, there is speculation that such a cost-effective method of producing materials for medical care could create a a marked difference in the market here.
Therefore, when asked whether he intends to come back to Bangladesh, he cheerfully replied: “Of course! I grew up in the air and breeze of in this country; I ought to give something back to it.”
Regarding his journey over the last decade, Saniyat, now a father of two, said it had not always been easy and smooth.
“It took me almost a year to settle down. Nevertheless, it was my ability to dream and determination to hold on that brought me here. Therefore, I would say, when you dream, work towards it, even if it means working 24/7 at times, work ceaselessly. Challenge your capabilities!”