The University Grant Commission (UGC) has taken an initiative to introduce the mostprestigious ‘Bangabandhu Fellowship’ marking the birth century of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Through this, various types of degrees, including research project preparation, doctorate of philosophy degree, post-doctoral fellowships will be awarded, UGC sources said.
The commission says it will be launched soon. Retired professors will be eligible for the fellowship. Work has already started to formulate a policy in this regard. It is known that a notification will be issued this month inviting applications from the candidates.
Asked about this, UGC Research Support and Publication Division Director Md Omar Faruk said, “We are going to launch this fellowship on the occasion of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation. We have already started the activities.”
“A meeting is scheduled next week. A committee will be formed to implement awarding the fellowship programme. A book will be published on Bangabandhu on the basis of the research,” he added.
Contacted, UGC research, support and publication member Professor Md Sajjad Hossain told Bangladesh Post, “We are making a guideline for this fellowship. Retired professors will be honoured with the fellowship. The fellowship will be highly prestigious and highly qualified (international standard).”
He also said, “After formulating the guideline, we hope it will be possible to launch the programme by September.”
“International scholarships will be reduced due to the corona pandemic. Many universities are closed due to Covid-19 pandemic. Many foreign universities are cutting their cost from research or scholarships because of shortage of fund,” he added.
Meanwhile, under the Science and Technology Fellowship Trust, fellowships for MS, PhD and post-PhD research in various fields of science are being given every year at home and abroad.
According to concerned sources, from the financial year 2010-11 to the financial year 2019-20, some 519 people have been given fellowships spending Tk 155.45 crore.
Since the financial year 2009-10, National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowships are being offered to students and researchers at the MPhil and PhD levels.
Till the financial year 2018-19, fellowships worth Tk 82.62 crore have been given to 13,225 students and researchers. In the 2019-20 financial year, fellowships worth Tk 19.38 crore were given to 3,200 people.
