"Hey bro, stay on the field after the Asr prayer!" I can’t count how many times I said that during childhood. But now? The dialogue has changed to "The network went out during the game, bro!"
Times have changed. With every tick of the clock, our habits, lifestyle, and even our dreams have transformed. The image of children returning home with the Maghrib prayer still echoing in the air is now just a memory.
The wide-open fields of the cities are buried beneath concrete and steel.
There was a time when the word "school" evoked images of playgrounds, trees, laughter, and sports. Today, school means six-story buildings, confined classrooms, and coaching centres crowding every corner of a student’s life.
Physical and mental growth once fostered by outdoor play has now been boxed into commercial gym sessions. But can the joy of sports be replicated on a conveyor belt?
Sports are not just about physical activity; they liberate the mind. They build creativity, teamwork, and leadership. Yet now, they face a triple crisis of space, time, and, most critically, attention.
Similarly, research in Bangladesh suffers from severe neglect. While we proudly mention 151 universities nationwide, how many teachers and students are actively engaged in meaningful research?
According to data from the University Grants Commission (UGC), less than 25% of faculty members are involved in any form of research.
For a country aspiring to lead in knowledge and innovation, this is a red flag. Bangladesh currently spends only 0.30% of its GDP on research and development.
In comparison, India spends 0.70%, China 2.4%, and South Korea a staggering 4.5%. These aren’t just numbers; they reflect national priorities and signal whether a country is preparing for a knowledge-driven future or not.
In recent QS World University Rankings, even our top universities struggle to make their mark.
Bangladesh remains significantly behind its regional peers. Countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and even war-torn Afghanistan are steadily improving their standings.
Why not us? We need to confront this question with honesty and urgency.
We envision a Bangladesh where research is not confined to dusty shelves as unread PhD theses but is actively shaping public policy, solving local problems, and guiding technological advancement.
We dream of a nation where sports are not sidelined but integrated into our educational philosophy, nurturing healthy bodies and sharp minds.
Redefining education
Education is not just about grades or certificates. A truly effective education system fosters critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and problem-solving abilities.
Yet, our current model remains exam-centric, with rote memorization crowding out analytical and practical skills.
From the primary level, students must be encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and create solutions. Integrating sports and cultural activities into the curriculum is crucial for producing well-rounded individuals.
These are not extracurricular; they are co-curricular essentials in a child's growth.
Furthermore, we need to move beyond the notion that higher education is merely a ticket to migrate abroad. The idea should be to develop world-class knowledge systems within our borders.
This includes building institutions that can compete globally in research output, technological innovation, and societal contribution.
New age budget
Words are not enough; budgets must reflect our vision. If we want to build a research-oriented Bangladesh, public investment in research and innovation must be significantly increased.
We must ensure that every university has adequate funding for labs, research grants, collaboration with industry, and access to global knowledge networks.
It's not just about money. Creating a research-conducive ecosystem means reforming university structures, reducing bureaucratic hurdles in research grants, incentivizing high-quality publications, and building capacity in research methods among faculty and students alike.
Importantly, local problems must be at the heart of research priorities.
From climate change resilience in coastal zones to traffic management in Dhaka, from public health challenges to agricultural productivity, Bangladeshi researchers must be the ones shaping the solutions.
Rethinking university lessons
Universities should be knowledge factories, not degree mills. Teachers must be mentors, not mere lecturers. Students must be explorers, not just test-takers.
This cultural transformation requires leadership and policy support at every level. We need to create centres of excellence within universities, places that attract global talent, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and create bridges between academia, industry, and government.
We also need more visibility for academic achievement.
If a student from Bangladesh wins a medal at an international Olympiad or publishes in a reputed journal, it should make headlines not just in academic circles but in the national consciousness.
Our youth need to see that their country values knowledge.
The role of sports
Sports teach more than just how to run faster or jump higher. They instill discipline, teamwork, goal-setting, and perseverance. A sports-based culture is also a deterrent to harmful behaviors such as drug abuse and juvenile delinquency.
In a densely populated country like Bangladesh, community sports programs can play a pivotal role in both urban and rural areas.
We need to protect our open fields and invest in new ones. Every school should have access to proper sports facilities. Every student should know the joy of scoring a goal or completing a race, not just a math test.
We also need to support professional athletes and sports research. Sports science, physiotherapy, and coaching education are key areas where academic institutions can collaborate with national federations to improve performance and broaden participation.
The ultimate goal is to create a future-ready Bangladesh, a society that is prepared not just for tomorrow’s jobs but for tomorrow’s challenges.
A country that invests in its human capital through meaningful education, values innovation over imitation, and creates a culture where knowledge should be celebrated.
We must reclaim our lost fields, revive our research culture, and reimagine our universities as places where dreams are built, not stifled. The conversation needs to shift from "the network went out during the game" to "we just discovered something new."
Let us begin from the fields, rise through innovation, and arrive at the Bangladesh we dream of.
A Bangladesh where every child can imagine, explore, and thrive. A Bangladesh where research shapes reality, sports build resilience, and education illuminates every path forward.
SM Rafad Asgar is a research associate, Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM).
