Researchers to study poverty and climate change in Bangladesh

Researchers at The University of Manchester’s School of Environment and Development have been awarded £500,000 to study poverty and climate change in Bangladesh.

The Brooks World Poverty Institute team of Dr Manoj Roy and Professor David Hulme together with Prof. Simon Guy of the Manchester Architecture Research Centre, will examine how the urban poor in Bangladesh are responding to the increasingly dire effects of global warming.

The project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and The Department for International Development over three years, and will bring together a team of leading Bangladeshi and UK researchers and policy activists.

Professor Simon Guy said: “The project responds directly to three of the grand challenges facing society globally: poverty, rapid urbanisation and climate change.

“It also demonstrates the capacity of the University, and specifically the School of Environment and Development, to connect disciplines such as development, architecture and planning to work collaboratively with researchers in Bangladesh to undertake high-quality research which produces practical outcomes with real impact.”

Dr Roy said: “We know the effects of climate change and variability to deepen over coming decades.

“But it’s the urban poor who are especially vulnerable: dwellings are being damaged or destroyed, casual labour laid off, fuel prices rise, water supplies become contaminated and children get sick.

“A downward spiral is likely, yet most governments in developing countries see climate change purely as a rural problem with impacts on agriculture and food security.”

He added: “The urban population of Bangladesh exceeds 40 million and is growing at 3.4% per annum.

“With 20 million people potentially displaced by rising sea levels in coming years, the urbanisation rate seems likely to increase even more.

“Urban poverty is already high - estimates vary from 47% to 70% - and in the bustees - or slums - living conditions are deteriorating.

“But, like most other governments, the Government of Bangladesh maintains a rural focus: none of the "priority actions" in its Climate Change Strategies and Action Plan 2008 targets the problems faced by the urban poor.”

The programme will work with the BRAC Development Institute at BRAC University along with other leading research agencies in Bangladesh.

Source: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=5572

Over 7.32 lakh to take HSC exams from April 1, 2010

A total of 732,457 examinees from 7,181 educational institutions across the country are about to take part in the Higher Secondary Certificate and its equivalent examinations which are scheduled to begin on April 1.

This year the number of Secondary School Certificate examinees is around 1.14 lakh more than last year.

Some 397,418 male and 335,418 female students will sit the examinations at 2,018 centres under 10 education boards.

Yesterday Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said that exams will be cancelled if the centres fail to ensure a fair, peaceful and copy-free atmosphere.

He said, "We will not allow students to use unfair means during the examinations.

"We are committed to ensuring 100 percent copy-free examinations."

The minister also said that any teacher involved in cheating would have their monthly pay order cancelled.

The minister issued the warnings during Dhaka Education Board's final meeting before the exams.

Nahid added, "Copying is a menace and we have taken measures to root it out totally.

"Stern action will be taken against officials, employees or teachers -- whoever it may be -- if they are found to be helping anyone to use unfair means," he said.

He said the government has taken all necessary steps to hold the examinations in a copy-free and peaceful atmosphere.

Nahid asked examination officials to take great care to ensure the secrecy of the questions as well as the security of the centres.

He urged everyone, including local government representatives, not to enter the exam centres unless it is strictly necessary.

Exams will start at 10:00am and 2:00pm.

This year, 587,540 students from 3,241 institutions are going to sit the examinations at 1,129 centres under eight general education boards.

There will be 74,413 students from 2,638 institutions under the Madrasa Education Board sitting the exams, and 70,504 students from 1,302 institutions sitting the exams under the Technical Education Board.

The meeting was chaired by Prof Fahima Khatun, chairman of the Dhaka Education Board, and attended by Khondaker Rakibur Rahman, Joint Secretary of the Education Ministry, the board centre secretary and the exam controller.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=131045