About 70 per cent of women engineering graduates residing within the country are either unemployed or out of the labour force, a study has found.  The research, jointly conducted by Gallup Pakistan and PRIDE using data from the Labour Force Survey 2020-21, found that 20.9pc of a total of 28,920 women engineering graduates were unemployed. About 50.9pc of them were out of the labour force while only 28pc remained employed. An analysis of the data for the three groups — employed, unemployed and out of the labour force — by region shows that 21.1pc of all engineering graduates resided in rural areas while 78.9pc of them were based in urban areas. Within the rural areas, 43.9pc of engineering graduates were employed while 36.3pc were unemployed. The share of engineering graduates who opted to remain out of the labour force in the rural areas was substantially lower (19.8pc) than the national average (50.9pc). As for the urban areas, 24pc of women engineering graduates were employed while 16.8pc of them were unemployed. A major proportion of women engineering graduates remained out of the labour force in the urban areas (59.2pc). A little more than 64pc of those engineering graduates who opted to remain out of the labour force were married while 28.4pc remained single. The highest share of all women engineering graduates was in the age bracket of 25-34 years (50.9pc), followed by 35-44 years (21.7pc). Source: DAWN

Safety Engineers & Professionals Association (SEPA) has formed its new executive committee for the next year with Sifat Sarower of RADS Engineering as its president and Engr. Rahat Bin S Rahman of Eco Concern as general secretary respectively. The elections were held at Uttara in Dhaka on Monday, a press release said. The other office bearers are- Vice President Engr. Tariqul Islam Rasel, Joint General Secretary Engr. Rafat Rahman, Treasurer Engr. Shahidul Islam, Publicity and Publication Secretary Engr. Mahmudul Hasan, and Office Secretary Engr. Sohel Islam, it added. The organization was founded in 2016 to play an active role in protecting safety engineers & professionals, developing professionalism and strengthening the business institution with more security. At Monday's council, the organization also decided to launch its official website, recruit new members, and organize seminars and other events on industrial safety issues, added the press release. SJ

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the engineers to adopt development plans protecting environment alongside maintaining their standard. “You (engineers) have been playing the biggest role in implementing our development projects. So, you’ll have to adopt development plans keeping in mind environment and ecology,” she told the inaugural function of the 59th convention of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) at its headquarters in the capital Saturday afternoon. Reports BSS. “Whenever we take the plan of a project we should bear in mind that arable land and water bodies must not be damaged in anyway,” she added. Putting emphasis on saving the rivers, the Prime Minister said all the civilizations in the world had been built on riverside. The inaugural function of the convention was presided over by IEB President Engineer Md Abdus Sabur, while President of IEB, Dhaka centre, Md Wali Ullah gave welcome speech and General Secretary of IEB, Dhaka centre, Engineer Md Shahadat Hossain Shiplu gave vote of thanks. IEB Secretary Engineer Khandker Manjur Morshed also spoke on the occasion. Stressing the need for taking into consideration the protection of environment before formulating plans, she said, “Protection of water-bodies is urgently needed. These (water bodies) can help keep the environment fine and can be used in case of any mishap like the Chawlkbazar fire.” The premier regretted that nowadays the canals and ponds of Dhaka city cannot be found as no initiative was taken at that time in this regard, adding, “We have already asked the authorities concerned to undertake plans for saving water bodies.” She asked the engineers to formulate plans to protect water bodies ahead of construction of highways or implementing housing projects. Highlighting the government’s initiatives to make Bangladesh a digital country she said, “We have already launched satellite on the space. In the future, we can conduct survey on space and we should take plans so that we can launch satellite by ourselves”. “We should keep it in mind that our land is limited but the population is vast,” she said adding that plan should be taken to ensure the optimum use of limited resources. Putting stress on conducting cutting-edge researches, she said that research is essential in every sector, saying that Bangladesh is now self-reliant in food production. “When we assumed office in 1996, there was no fund for research and hence we started allocating money for this purpose,” she said asking all including engineers to give more attention to identify the sectors where research is necessary. “The wheels of developments had been stopped after the assassination of the Father of the Nation on August 15 in 1975. The gruesome killing had initiated the politics of killing, coup and conspiracy,” the premier said. “Bangladesh is now becoming a ‘role model of development in the world due to huge development work carried out by the government,” she said. Highlighting huge development works by her government in the last 10 years, she reiterated her government’s firm determination to make Bangladesh a developing country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041. The premier also asked all concerned to take initiatives for speedy industrialization keeping the arable land protected, and said “We are now implementing 100 special economic zones to attract foreign and local investment to accelerate the pace of industrialization.” She said “We are making progress in the construction works of the Padma Brige with our own funding and have started constructing metro rail project which will contribute to ease traffic jam in Dhaka city. We will also start construction of the second Padma Bridge.” She said, “We have limitation of resources. Huge research works are necessary to develop machineries meant for construction at lesser cost. You people (engineers) should come forward to innovate alternate ideas to construct houses at lower cost, and technology as well”. The premier also stressed need for construction of rail and waterways alongside constructing roads to lessen the woes of the people. Sheikh Hasina said, “The registration of land for Engineers Institution Headquarters was given at symbolic price in 1996. A total of Taka 28 crore had been donated for its construction.” “We have provided 72 bighas of land at symbolic price in 1997 for Engineering Staff College and donated Taka 46 crore for its implementation” she continued. “We have allocated land from KDA (Khulna Development Authority) for IEB Khulna Centre. Land was also allocated for its centers at Rangadia, Mymensingh, Faridpur, Dinajpur and Chattogram, and Feni and Cox’s Bazar sub-centers,” she said. Regarding some demands of the IEB, the premier said, “I have listened to all your demands. Grade-1 has already been given to chiefs of IEB’s seven engineering organizations—.” “You (engineers) had played vital roles to reconstitute the war-ravaged Bangladesh in response to the call of the Father of the Nation after independence. Bangabandhu had been able to give the country a strong footing in only three and a half years,” she said. The theme of the convention is “Engineering Excellence: Earth to Space,” and its subject is “Engineers for Leadership in Sustainable Infrastructure Development in Bangladesh.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over certificates to two gold medal winners- Engineer Deepak Kanti Das and Engineer Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan. Matiul Islam, son of gold medal winner late Engineer Md Khijir Khan, received the certificate on behalf of his father. IEB’s Dhaka centre received the award of the best centre while, Pabna sub-centre as the best sub-centre. IEB, Australia got the award of the best overseas centre and IEB’s Computer Engineering Department got the best departmental award. AH

BNP has changed its place for staging sit in program from National Press Club to Engineers Institution Bangladesh on Tuesday. The party is going to hold the program demanding release of Begum Khaleda Zia from jail. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, Dhaka Metropolitan Police has permitted BNP to stage the sit in program at Engineers Institution auditorium in Ramna. We will hold the program there from 11 am to 12 noon on Tuesday. Earlier Rizvi said that BNP will hold one hour sit in program demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. The leaders and activists at the district level will observe the program in their favorable places, he further said. Assistant secretary for international affairs Baby Naznin, assistant office secretary Taiful Islam Tipu, Belal Ahmed, executive committee member professor Aminul Islam and others were present in the press conference. AH    

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested three engineers of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) in a case filed over allegation of corruption in culvert construction. They were arrested from Kotowali police station intersection area in the port city on Sunday. ACC Public Relations Officer and Deputy Director Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya confirmed the matter. The arrested three are, two Assistant Engineer of CDA Golam Sarwar and Hamidul Haque and Deputy Assistant Engineer Md. Jahangir Alam. According to the ACC sources, 6 cases were lodged against the three engineers in 2008 over allegation of embezzling taka 27 lakh 23 thousand 247 in an ongoing project of Chittagong Development Authority. They were arrested over the charge. There were allegations of embezzling 12 lakh 51 thousand taka against Golam Sarwar, 14 lakh 19 thousand taka against Jahangir Alam and 52 thousand 500 taka against Hamidul Haque. AH