Mourning Dr. M. Alimullah Miyan

The pioneer of non-government universities in Bangladesh and Founder and Vice-Chancellor of IUBAT University Prof Dr M Alimullah Miyan passed away on May 10, 2017.

This is a great loss not only to his family and friends in Bangladesh, but also to many people around the world. Dr. Miyan’s passion for education and his inclusive approach inspired many international faculty to volunteer at the remarkable university that he founded.

Dr. Miyan was an eminent global academic, bringing together the best ideas from many countries to create a uniquely Bangladeshi university. He balanced religious, cultural, social and educational values to create an “environment built for learning.” His life-long commitment to social justice is being implemented through Knowledge-Based Area Development. He consistently promoted teaching excellence and encouraged academic freedom and innovation.

For the College of Nursing in particular, Dr. Miyan planted the seed that has blossomed into the only independent non-government nursing college in the country. He was a pioneering advocate for the nursing profession in Bangladesh and worked tirelessly to overcome social taboos and institutional obstacles. At every major nursing function at IUBAT, Dr. Miyan spoke movingly of his vision for nursing, his ambition to develop professional leaders and his pride in the students and graduates.

We mourn our loss of this unforgettable, larger-than-life personality; we honour a life-long example of what can be achieved through courage, hard work and idealism.

Updates from BHP’s Advisor of Health Sciences

Alex Berland, Advisor of Health Sciences at IUBAT and founding member of the Bangladesh Health Project, reports on his recent visit to IUBAT.

He writes: “The university is overall busier than ever with new construction underway to meet the demand for good quality higher education. College of Nursing enrolment remains disappointing, mostly due to proliferation of private colleges with cheaper fees; guardians may not consider quality in making decisions, especially for their daughters. IUBAT is now reducing BSN tuition fees with scholarships for strong students.

On a brighter note, I was happy to observe in both classroom and hospital the quality of current students. Obviously, our faculty are doing a terrific job promoting English use, encouraging critical thinking and pushing students to use problem-solving skills. Dr. Masud, Coordinator of the College of Nursing, is building a strong faculty team of graduates from IUBAT as well as other good colleges. After several meetings with faculty, I feel very positive about their ability.

Our library collection and nursing lab benefitted from re-organization by visiting faculty Anne-Marie Hummelman. Spring semester volunteers, Emily Hagg and Nancy Campbell, shared their positive impressions of faculty that they have been mentoring. Also, I visited an excellent practice site, Universal Medical Hospital, led by a visionary chairwoman who has hired IUBAT graduates as senior managers. Similarly, at Sajida Health Programs, IUBAT graduates hold senior roles managing innovative programs. Several IUBAT graduates recently sent news about their career accomplishments, so I am feeling very positive about the impact of the Bangladesh Health Project through its many supporters and visiting faculty over the past 13 years.”

Bangladesh’s Progress Highlighted in Medical Publication

The BMJ, an international medical journal, recently published an article entitled, “Why has Bangladesh done so well?”  In the article, Richard Smith, the chair of the Board of Trustees of icddr,b (formerly known as the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh) discusses the elements that may have helped improve the standard of living in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has had a tumultous past, rife with episodes of civil unrest, war and famine, with each event resulting high mortality rates.  However, it has now become one of the few low income countries to achieve the Millenium Development Goals: life expectancy has increased from 50 to 70+, child deaths under 5 years have dropped from 25% to 4%, and maternal mortality has fallen from 700 per 100 000 to 150.  Almost all children go to school, and the literacy rate of ~67% is equal among both males and females.

The author discusses several relevant cases of health improvements in Bangladesh, exploring why the country has made such major strides in its development. For instance, Richard Smith explains the role of factors such as education, research, cultural sensitivity, social science and female empowerment in the usage of oral re-hydration treatment (ORT) to treat roughly 80% of cases of childhood diarrhea, the highest rate in the world.  Lessons such as these has helped Bangladesh work towards becoming a middle-income country within a decade.  Despite all of the progress, there are still obstacles that Bangladesh has yet to overcome; among the issues are a moderately high maternal mortality rate, security, child marriage and loss of land due to climate change.

For more details and an in-depth analysis, please read the blog post on BMJ.com.