WOMEN IN SCIENCE: Is Bangladesh ahead of the West?

[24 Hours]

Amitava Kar

If you are worried about the dearth of women in science in Bangladesh, think again. There are more girls studying science than you may be aware of. For instance, in Dhaka University, about 30-40 percent students in physics and chemistry are female. In the biological sciences and medical education, the number is an astonishing 60 percent. In Jahangirnagar University, the percentage of female students in physics is about 35 percent. Elsewhere in the country in Rajshahi University, in the physical sciences, 26 percent students and 14 percent teachers are women. In the biological sciences, the percentages are even higher -- 47 and 16 respectively.

The notion that women do not do well in the physical sciences is a fallacy, according to senior professors and students of at least three of the public universities mentioned above. They say more women are studying science at the university level in Bangladesh than in the US, Japan, the UK and other European countries. And they excel in physics, chemistry, maths and biological sciences securing top positions in both undergraduate and graduate levels. They are more focused than their male counterparts in research despite facing many barriers.

But they do not receive the recognition even after doing exceptionally well. According to a professor of physics at Dhaka University, women in scientific professions face discrimination in terms of recruitment, promotion and retention. Barriers that limit women's entry to careers in science include lack of grants and funding, balancing family and career, deeply ingrained gender bias, scarcity of job openings, lack of mentors and role models, child care support, laboratory space and lack of confidence. Women have to work twice as hard as men to show that they are equally competent.

Why is this remarkable accomplishment of women in Bangladesh little known to the public? What has caused the false myth of girls' intrinsic unsuitability for science?

http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/women-science-bangladesh-ahead-the-west-1363003

 

[Nilgiri]

Its a welcome trend but there need to be results on science front from BD to matter (whatever the underlying gender split is).

 

[NoOne'sBoy]

I support meritocracy. Selection through talent. Pure talent.

 

[bluesky]

I can see many women are excelling in the civil administration. For example, the BD Ambassador in Japan and the current Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur District are both women.

 

[Avicenna]

not surprising for a country where you cant find a man to rule

what a clever comment you posted.

 

[scorpionx]

Comparing with the west is an overestimation, but anyways this is a great news. But I can't understand the dichotomy between the rising religious radicalism and Bangladesh's overall impressive performance in social indicators. They somehow represent a kind of contradiction.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

I can see many women are excelling in the civil administration. For example, the BD Ambassador in Japan and the current Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur District are both women.

Our current ambassador to Thailand and Nepal are also woman.There may be even more.

 

[Nilgiri]

current ambassador to Thailand

She's a pretty one.

 

[Viny]

not surprising for a country where you cant find a man to rule

Out of curiosity, who runs your house?

Amitava Kar

If you are worried about the dearth of women in science in Bangladesh, think again. There are more girls studying science than you may be aware of. For instance, in Dhaka University, about 30-40 percent students in physics and chemistry are female. In the biological sciences and medical education, the number is an astonishing 60 percent. In Jahangirnagar University, the percentage of female students in physics is about 35 percent. Elsewhere in the country in Rajshahi University, in the physical sciences, 26 percent students and 14 percent teachers are women. In the biological sciences, the percentages are even higher -- 47 and 16 respectively.

The notion that women do not do well in the physical sciences is a fallacy, according to senior professors and students of at least three of the public universities mentioned above. They say more women are studying science at the university level in Bangladesh than in the US, Japan, the UK and other European countries. And they excel in physics, chemistry, maths and biological sciences securing top positions in both undergraduate and graduate levels. They are more focused than their male counterparts in research despite facing many barriers.

But they do not receive the recognition even after doing exceptionally well. According to a professor of physics at Dhaka University, women in scientific professions face discrimination in terms of recruitment, promotion and retention. Barriers that limit women's entry to careers in science include lack of grants and funding, balancing family and career, deeply ingrained gender bias, scarcity of job openings, lack of mentors and role models, child care support, laboratory space and lack of confidence. Women have to work twice as hard as men to show that they are equally competent.

Why is this remarkable accomplishment of women in Bangladesh little known to the public? What has caused the false myth of girls' intrinsic unsuitability for science?

http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/women-science-bangladesh-ahead-the-west-1363003

Probably not many boys are able to reach the cut off targets
See they have plenty other things to do in life

 

[TopCat]

Comparing with the west is an overestimation, but anyways this is a great news. But I can't understand the dichotomy between the rising religious radicalism and Bangladesh's overall impressive performance in social indicators. They somehow represent a kind of contradiction.

Woman in Iranian theocracy is far advance than Bangladesh. Women and Islam does not contradict.

 

[scorpionx]

Woman in Iranian theocracy is far advance than Bangladesh. Women and Islam does not contradict.

I did not mean to say that Islam as a religion suppress woman empowerment. What puzzles me is, with consistent economic growth, improved healthcare and educational infrastructure Bangladesh still have lunatics who wants legal statues to be demolished. Economic and social progress should have curbed such obscurantist tendencies to some extent.

 

[Shorisrip]

I did not mean to say that Islam as a religion suppress woman empowerment. What puzzles me is, with consistent economic growth, improved healthcare and educational infrastructure Bangladesh still have lunatics who wants legal statues to be demolished. Economic and social progress should have curbed such obscurantist tendencies to some extent.

It's a nation of 160 million, its rather healthy to assume that people with all kinds of backgrounds and thoughts will be present. I won't be surprised if there's a dude in Old Dhaka who's a transgender Maoist Ultra-nationalist Jamati who's favourite sport is Curling.

 

[Bilal9]

I can see many women are excelling in the civil administration. For example, the BD Ambassador in Japan and the current Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur District are both women.

BD Ambassador to Thailand Muna Tasneem,

and our Telecom Minister Tarana Haleem,

are also modern females in Govt. currently.

Not talking about 'Shosshokonna' (Maid of the bounty) or other female ministers who look rather unpresentable......and possess no social skills or grace whatsoever.....

Guys let's not start pointing fingers and get off the subject now......

Comparing with the west is an overestimation, but anyways this is a great news. But I can't understand the dichotomy between the rising religious radicalism and Bangladesh's overall impressive performance in social indicators. They somehow represent a kind of contradiction.

I suspect you don't possess enough information about Bangladeshi society and therefore you impression about us has gaps. You can visit someday or get Bangladeshi friends to fill those gaps.

I'd venture an estimation that religious radicalism in India is likely more prevalent than Bangladesh. Most people in Bangladesh are of the Sidhey-Saadhey, Bholey-Bhaley variety.

There is no analog of organized extremism in Bangladesh such as the Sangh Parivaar causing mass mayhem in non-Hindu circles in India. We don't encourage that type of behaviour. There are blasphemy laws that apply equally to each religion and there are consequences for religious atrocities.

Middle class Parents are far more doting and fair to their female offspring than the rest of the subcontinent. For the last two decades female education has not only been free from Grade 1 to MSc level, at the primary and secondary levels the parents got actual food rations for sending their girl-child to school.

To my knowledge most states in India have no such program.

This govt. encouragement on educating females brought down our fertility rate over the years to replacement level (2.1 child per female, unusual for a Muslim country) and caused massive influx of females in the labor-force and education, which in turn reduced dependence of females on male income and upgraded health indicators.

Bangladesh leads both India and Pakistan in most health and education HDI parameters. Please search for my threads on these topics.

 

[Avicenna]

Close this thread please...

 

[scorpionx]

BD Ambassador to Thailand Muna Tasneem,

and our Telecom Minister Tarana Haleem,

are also modern females in Govt. currently.

Not talking about 'Shosshokonna' (Maid of the bounty) or other female ministers who look rather unpresentable......and possess no social skills or grace whatsoever.....

Guys let's not start pointing fingers and get off the subject now......



I suspect you don't possess enough information about Bangladeshi society and therefore you impression about us has gaps. You can visit someday or get Bangladeshi friends to fill those gaps.

I'd venture an estimation that religious radicalism in India is likely more prevalent than Bangladesh. Most people in Bangladesh are of the Sidhey-Saadhey, Bholey-Bhaley variety.

There is no analog of organized extremism in Bangladesh such as the Sangh Parivaar causing mass mayhem in non-Hindu circles in India. We don't encourage that type of behaviour. There are blasphemy laws that apply equally to each religion and there are consequences for religious atrocities.

Middle class Parents are far more doting and fair to their female offspring than the rest of the subcontinent. For the last two decades female education has not only been free from Grade 1 to MSc level, at the primary and secondary levels the parents got actual food rations for sending their girl-child to school.

To my knowledge most states in India have no such program.

This govt. encouragement on educating females brought down our fertility rate over the years to replacement level (2.1 child per female, unusual for a Muslim country) and caused massive influx of females in the labor-force and education, which in turn reduced dependence of females on male income and upgraded health indicators.

Bangladesh leads both India and Pakistan in most health and education HDI parameters. Please search for my threads on these topics.

Bilalda, thank you for this detailed information. But I did not intend to demean your society. Bangladesh has progressed impressively in most social indicators. I have no doubt that in the next coming decades Bangladesh and Srilanka will be pride of Asia. We do need to learn a lot from you, especially Northern states.

My question was something different. Why Bangladeshi government has to remove the statue of Lady Justice in 21st century under pressure from radical groups? Why do we see the rising trend of murdering bloggers, priests which we could not imagine some twenty years ago or so? When you are doing so well in educating masses, bringing basic health care facilities to everyone's door, creating jobs for women that should have curbed such rapid growth in extremist leanings.