University Grants Commission (UGC) member Prof. Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, has identified education, health, and agriculture as the primary drivers of national security, stressing that investment in these sectors is essential for human security.
Speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on strengthening veterinary science education at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) on Tuesday, he noted that global powers like the USA and China treat education as a core component of national security, a vision Bangladesh must also adopt.
Addressing the selection process for the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project, Professor Khan highlighted that the grant was awarded through a highly competitive and transparent process.
He asserted that in the post-August 5 era, the UGC has moved away from historically opaque practices to a purely merit-based selection system, countering common allegations of corruption in project allocations. He also expressed concern over Bangladesh’s low GDP allocation for education compared to other South Asian nations, stating that international university rankings cannot improve without addressing this investment deficit.
BAU Vice-Chancellor Prof. A. K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, attending as the chief patron, emphasized that while modern technology is vital, the sincerity and profound knowledge of teachers remain the heart of quality education.
The workshop, presided over by Veterinary Faculty Dean Prof. Md. Bahanur Rahman, also featured a keynote by Sub-Project Manager Prof. Mohammad Eliusur Rahman Bhuiyan. He outlined plans to modernize classrooms, establish high-tech research infrastructure, and digitize library facilities to align veterinary training with global technological standards and produce skilled professionals.
The event was attended by BAU's Director of Planning and Development Prof. Mohammad Musharraf Uddin Bhuiyan, HEAT Project Regional Coordinator Md. Monabberur Rashid and faculty members from various departments. The project, funded by the HEAT-Academic Transformation Fund (ATF), aims to create a technology-driven environment to enhance research and hands-on training within the veterinary faculty.