Dhaka ICA has been awarded the status of statutory membership of Institute of Cultural
Affairs International (ICAI) in its General Assembly held on 4-9 May 2006 in Toronto,
Canada. ICAI is a network of national autonomous organizations concerned with the
human factor in development. It has now 30 national members all over the globe.
Dhaka ICA is one of the newest members of ICAI headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
Dhaka ICA hosted the First Regional Asia Pacific ICA Conference in Dhaka. The two-day
conference was held on 2-3 December at the Center of Excellence, University of Dhaka
with the presence of thirty participants representing seven countries in the region
including Australia, India, Japan, Nepal, Taiwan and ICA International, Canada.
Dhaka ICA has also got much appreciation for hosting the Second Sub-Continental
Conference in 4-5 October 2005 at the National Institute of Local Government (NILG)
in Dhaka, which was attended by thirty five participants from India, Nepal, Australia
and Bangladesh and Fourth Sub-Continental Meeting in 5-6 December 2007 in Dhaka
having 7 ICAs in the Aisa Pacific.
For Dhaka ICA, the year 2007 and 2008 is a big achievement as it welcomes a number
of foreign volunteers in Bangladesh who visited its projects, facilitated capacity
building trainings and discovered Bangladesh. ICA International President Nelson
Stover and ICA USA Director Elaine Stover visited Bangladesh in February 2007. They
inspected Dhaka ICA’s Ghoramara Human Development Project in Chandpur on 13 February.
They along with Shubhnarain Singh from India volunteered two capacity building courses
– Methods of Effective Participation on 11-12 February 2007 and Effective Living
on 13-17 February 2007 at NILG, Agargaon, Dhaka.
Two Australian volunteers – Maria Maguire and Richard Maguire visited Bangladesh
twice in the year 2007. They first volunteered two capacity-building training courses
– Group Facilitation Methods (3-4 March 2007) and participatory Strategic Planning
(8-9 March 2008) at Pacific Inn Hotel, Banani, Dhaka. They also facilitated Dhaka
ICA team in preparing the second strategic plan (2007-2009) based on the first strategic
plan (2006-2008). The first strategic plan was facilitated by ICA International
President Tatwa P Timsina from Nepal, Robyn and John Hutchinson from Australia facilitated
in October 2005 in Dhaka. In December 2007, they facilitated the revision of the
Second Strategic Plan following their participation in the First Asia Pacific Regional
Conference. They also assisted us in developing training and facilitation manuals
in both English and Bangla.
Richard and Maria Magiure from Australia, Shankar Jadhab from India and Sarah Farina
from Canada visited ICA Ghoramara Human Development Project in Chandpur on 7 December
2007. Tatwa P Timsina who is the first mentor of Dhaka ICA first visited Bangladesh
team in 2002 and volunteered a training course on Facilitation Skills and Program
Management during 17-21 October 2002 at Chandpur Law College for 20 NGO executives.
Lawrence Philbrook visited Bangladesh twice and volunteered three two capacity building
training courses – Leadership Development in Organizations along with Evelyn Philbrook
(29-30 November 2007), Facilitating Strategic Processes (18-19 March 2008). Tatwa
P Timsina and Shankar Jadhav volunteered one course on Community Development Approaches,
Proposal Writing and Fundraising (4-6 Decemebr 2007). Maria and Richard are coming
again for a month in December 2008 and Lawrence and Evelyn Philbrook in January
2009. During their stay with us, they will facilitate some training and planning
courses.
ICA Bangladesh focuses on sustainable and demonstrated community empowerment projects.
In 2004, it initiated an integrated community development program in Chandpur District.
ICA Bangladesh’s community programs are mostly implemented in the village of Ghoramara
Asrayan Prokalpa in Chandpur District, which is home to approximately 230 families,
or 1500 people, who have been displaced and lost their land due to flooding and
riverbank erosion. The ICA Ghoramara Human Development Program includes the following
components in 2004-2006:
Needs Assessment and Planning
• Community-driven needs assessment and planning continued with visioning and action
workshops – part of a process that has been ongoing since 2004
• Produced Community Vision and Action Plan for 2008, which included identifying
Working Gifts
Primary Education
• Provided school facilities, supplies, and teachers for 30 children, who previously
had no access to primary education
• Classes in Bangla, English, and Math, as well as sports and cultural events
• All 30 children completed the first elementary class
• Introduced primary school
Water and Sanitation
• Repaired 7 old tube wells and installed 5 new wells
• The village now has access to safe drinking water and related health problems
have declined
Food and Material Aid
• Distributed food and clothing to 30 of the village’s neediest families, or about
150 people, during Eid festivals
• Educational materials were distributed to 30 children
In February 2008, Dhaka ICA Ghoramara introduced Dressmaking Training and Income
Generation Project with 4 sewing machine for 18 disadvantaged women; Rickshaw for
Employment Generation Project with 2 rickshaws and Water and Sanitation Project
with two new tube-wells installed and old 8 repaired with partial support under
the Working Gifts Program. The official inaugural event of ICA Human Development
project was held on 5 March 2008, Chandpur Zila Parisad Chief Executive Officer,
Deputy Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh Mr. Fazlur Rahman was chief guest
and Financial Controller of the Netherlands Embassy in Dhaka Ms. Nicolien van-Eisjden
was special guest in the inaugural ceremony.
Dhaka ICA undertook ‘Supporting Sidr-affected Parentless Children for Educational
and Urgent Needs Project 2007-2008’ with cooperation of TUC Japan. Considering the
most affected sub-district under Bagerhat District and presence of hundreds of children
who lost their either father or mother or both, Sharonkhola Subdistrict was selected
for the whole project. The project included 102 parentless children belonging to
27 schools under 4 union councils of Sarankhola Upazila who are offered educational
and urgent needs. On 23 May 2008, 102 children were distributed educational materials,
stipend, umbrella, cloths, school bag etc. Sharonkhola Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mr.
Md. Jahangir Alam inaugurated the distribution by giving items to one child. Upazila
Education Officer, Social Welfare Officer, Press Club Secretary, College Principal,
School teachers and guardians were also present in the event.
ICA Bangladesh delivered 13 ToP training courses for 260 participants throughout
the country since 2005. Dhaka ICA imparted 3-day in-house training on Basic ToP
methods for 20 staffs of Association of Correction and Social Reclamation (ACSR).
On 14 August 2007, ACSR Secretary General Professor Dr. Abdul Hakim Sarker, Ms.
Nicolien-van-Eisjeck from the Netherlands Embassy, the Chief Guest and Concern Worldwide
Bangladesh Assistant Country Director Oliver Walkeline were present in the inaugural
session of the training. Dhaka ICA offered another in-house Participatory Strategic
Planning course for 25 staffs of Concern Worldwide Bangladesh on 4-6 November 2007.
Dhaka ICA conducted a Two-day long “Team building workshop for joint team members”
on 20th March at the Radius Centre Conference Room at Bay’s Galleria, Gulshan under
the auspices of UNAIDS Bangladesh, twenty five participants including UNAIDS Bangladesh
country coordinator Dan Odello, advisor Lazeena Muna and consultant Farida Hossain
from UNAIDS, relevant UN agencies, CARE Bangladesh, Concern Worldwide and NGOs working
in the field of HIV/AIDS took part in the workshop. The workshop resulted in the
visioning, directions and actions by the UNAIDS joint teams members.
During 14-17 February 2007 Dhaka ICA organized a training program on Methods of
Effective Participation and Methods for Effective Living and Leadership and Community
Development at National Institute of Local Government (NILG), Dhaka facilitated
by Nelson, Elaine and Shubhnarain. Twenty participants from ICA Bangladesh, VERC,
UCEP Bangladesh, IHDOB, University of Dhaka, and Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology
University attended the training. Richard and Maria Maguires facilitated a ToP training
program on GFM and PSP during 4-15 March 2007 at Pacific Inn Hotel, Banani, Dhaka.
Fifteen participants from ICA Bangladesh, Hunger Free World, Action Aid Bangladesh,
and Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Urban Development Directorate,
UCEP Bangladesh participated in the training program. ICA Bangladesh organized a
two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) during 18-19 March at Pacific Inn, Banani, Dhaka.
Fifteen participants were in the ToT training workshop.
A national workshop on the underlying causes of forest degradation and deforestation
in Bangladesh was held on 10 May 2008 at VIP Lounge, National Press Club, Dhaka
organized by the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) in cooperation with the Global
Forest Coalition GFC, the Netherlands funded by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs followed by a roundtable discussion.
TIB Trustee Board Chairman Professor Muzaffer Ahmed was present in the inaugural
session as chief guest. Professor KAM Saaduddin, former Dean of the Faculty of Social
Sciences of the University of Dhaka chaired the session. Professor Dr. A I Mahbub
Uddin Ahmed of the Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka. Professor Dr. Niaz
Ahmed Khan, Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka moderated the
roundtable discussion. Philip Gain, Executive Director, Sehd, Farid Uddin Ahmed,
Executive Director, Arannayk Foundation, Syeda Rizwana Hassan, Executive Director,
BELA, Iqbal Ali, BEISP and Dr. M Asaduzzaman, Research Director, BIDS were special
discussants in the roundtable discussion.
Two research teams led by Dr. A I Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, Professor, Department of Sociology,
University of Dhaka, Dr. M Nazrul Islam, Professor, Department of geography and
Environment, Jahangir Nagar University has conducted three research studies on three
major forest areas - Mangrove, Saal and Chittagong Hill Tracts reserve forest during
February-April 2008, based on which a key note paper was presented in the main workshop.
Earlier a discussion meeting on the research findings was held on 8 May 2008 to
prepare the keynote paper at Baton Rouge, Gulshan.
The discussion meeting was participated by 30 experts from 3 universities - University
of Chittagong, University of Dhaka, Jahangirnagar University, 4 NGOs - Arannayk
Foundation, BELA, TMSS, ICA. At 430pm the team leader of the project Dr. Mahbub
Ahmed and project coordinator Md. Azizur Rahman briefed about the objectives of
the workshop and findings of the study to media representatives at Dhaka Reporters
Unity in a press conference. The main goal of the national workshop is to increase
the level of awareness of the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation
amongst policy makers, the media, NGOs, indigenous peoples and other stakeholders
and to propose pathways and actions to address the underlying causes.
A total of 100 participants including representatives from NGOs, civil society organizations,
forest users, indigenous people, universities, forest research institutes, electronic
media, print media, Indigenous People, and the government bodies attended the meeting.
The workshop generated the fact that the scenario of deforestation in Bangladesh
is very alarming and the underlying causes are manifold. The study also identified
the main actors involved in the process and recommended effective measures to address
the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation in Bangladesh.
More than 30 print and electronic media disseminated the ICA's national workshop
on the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation in Bangladesh.
Dhaka ICA launched its official website in 2006. One of founding members – Mohammad
Habibur Rahman volunteered the development of the website (www.ica-bangladesh.org)
which is also linked to ICAI website (www.ica-inernational.org). Through this website,
Dhaka ICA is disseminating information about programs and activities, training,
facilitation, advocacy and community development. The official newsletter of Dhaka
ICA – Bay Waves is being published for last three years. The first issue was inaugurated
on 29 September 2005 by Bangladesh University Grants Commission Member Professor
Dr. M Mahbub Ullah at NILG, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.
ICA International organized the 6-week long international training program on leadership
in human development. Mohammad Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh attended the the training
held during 26 May-04 July 2008. He could grasp both theories and practice in Technology
of Participation (ToP), organizational management and leadership. In the first week,
Jo Nelson was the lead facilitator. First week in Montreal focused on ToP skills
and the history, philosophy and approaches of ICA. This week swampy gravy – story-telling
two facilitators taught tool from USA. Apart from GFM, PSP, Jo introduced social
process triangles, frame working. Three weeks were spent in New Brunswick, more
than 800km away from Montreal. The second and third week was designed for sustainability
tools and practice workshop. This week, the participants learned the concept of
sustainability, measurable indicators of sustainability and sustainability platform.
On 25 June, the formal inauguration of the ICA International Secretariat and National
ICA Staffs were invited to attend the event. The date was fixed keeping the gathering
of different national ICA staffs in mind, audience asked questions to national ICA
staffs. Aziz shared about ICA activities in Bangladesh. Montreal International and
ICAI document the whole program. Some media people were also present. Participants
from various organizations witnessed the inaugural event. In Human Development Gallery,
the Ghoramara Project was presented and audience asked about the project. An ex.
World Bank professional gave a lecture series after the formal inauguration is over.
He pointed out the aid dynamics in African countries and state of development in
developing countries.
Nicolien-van Eisjden from Netherlands now on work assignment in Dhaka extended her
hands for ICA Bangladesh. She has been supporting Bangladesh in cash and kind for
its various activities like training, facilitation and community development activities.
She has joined our Advisory Board.
Dhaka ICA established contact through Aziz’s visit in Canada in June and July 2008
with a number of development organizations based in Canada and USA including Falls
Brook Center (FBC), USC Canada, Cowater International, Head and Hunts, Meals on
Wheels, Feminternational, International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF),
Analog Forestry Network, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and Plan Canada who
appreciated Dhaka ICA’s activities and expressed interest to work together in the
near future.
FBC has been working in 4 areas: renewable energy, forestry stewardship, organic
farming and community development. Executive Director of FBC Ms. Jean Arnold expressed
her keen interest to work with ICA Bangladesh and did a memorandum of Understanding
signed by both parties to work in the areas of sustainable community development.
USC Canada based in Ottawa is implementing CIDA funded various projects in Bangladesh.
Cowater International in Ottawa informed that they have been working in Bangladesh
with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Commerce and Environment. Heads and Hunts that
has been working in the field of HIV/AIDS, drug, delinquency, prostitution and reproductive
health and legal aids expressed interest to submit jointly for funding similar projects
in Bangladesh. Meals on Wheels- a local NGO serves persons with disabilities and
aged people in the city by delivering cheaper food with bicycle by youth people.
IDRF officials appreciated ICA Bangladesh activities and expressed the need to have
more partners in Bangladesh. They also initiated the process by providing partnership
application form to ICA Bangladesh. IDRF works in the area of relief, livelihood
and women empowerment. Fem International mainly works in the capacity building of
disadvantaged women and entrepreneurship development. AJWS projects are human rights,
women and livelihood.
During these partnership meetings, Aziz talked to 20 non-ICA representatives from
Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica and Jean Arnold at FBC, Federal Member
of Parliament from New Brunswick, Canada Mr. Mike Allen, board member of FBC Ms.
Diane McKinnon, Board Member of Feminternational MS. Alicia Zlatar, IDRF Director
(Programs) Ms. Delna Karanjia and Program Officer Alexander S. Karapetov, former
Plan Canada Country Representative who is Bangladeshi origin - Senior Director International
Programs of Plan Canada Dr. Tanzina Mirza, Program Officer of AJWS Ms. Jessica Wrenn.
Aziz during June-July 2008 visit also established contacts with some criminology
professors and institutions – Institute for the Prevention of Crime, University
of Ottawa; International Center for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), Montreal, Center
for Criminology, University of Toronto and John Jay College of Criminal Justice,
City University of New Yourk in order to find avenues to work in the field of crime
prevention and criminal justice research, advocacy and training.
Five persons - Habibur Rahman, Md. Naimul, Afroja Akter, Mehdi Hasan and Abul Khair
attended a one week long social artistry leadership training in Nepal during 16-24
July 2008 organized by ICA Nepal in cooperation with John Houston Foundation and
UNDP. Six members from Dhaka ICA attended Social Artistry Leadership Training Program
in May 2005 in Nepal hosted by ICA Nepal jointly with International Institute for
Social Artistry USA/Canada. ICA Nepal took initiatives for developing a strong Social
Artistry Trainers team and work in Asia.
The 7th ICA Global Conference on Human Development: Unlocking the Potentials to
Create a New World Together is going to be held during 17-21 November 2008 in Takayama,
Japan. ICA International and ICA Japan is jointly organizing the conference with
support of UNDP Poverty Practice, Civicus: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
and UN Global Compact. Around 1000 delegation from all over the world will take
part in the conference. Twelve members of ICA Bangladesh are attending the conference.
They are Azizur Rahman, Dr. Mahbub Ahmed, Dr. Sarwat Jabeen, Moniruzzaman, Naimul
Hassan, Shahadat Khan, Rafiqul Islam, Selina Akter, Hilarius Costa, Michael Gomes,
Mily and T M Abdullah Al Fuad.
Dhaka ICA for the first time attended the General Assembly (GA) of the Institute
of Cultural Affairs International (ICAI) in Toronto, Canada from June 5th to June
09th 2006. Mr. Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Honorary Executive Director of ICA Bangladesh
met representatives from 30 national ICAs over the globe during this gathering.
Three delegates from ICA Bangladesh will be present in the ICAI General Assembly
on 22-23 November 2008 and one in the Board Meeting on 24-25 November 2008 following
the 7th Global Conference on Human Development. Dr. Mahbub Ahmed, Mohammad Azizur
Rahman and Md. Naimul Hassan are going to join the GA and Mohammad Azizur Rahman
in the Board Meeting.
Mohammad Azizur Rahman joined International Association of Facilitators (IAF) North
American Conference - the Art and Mastery of Facilitation Conference held in Baltimore,
Maryland, USA on 15-17 June 2006. Aziz attended various sessions and shared facilitation
experience during the conference.
The third annual sub-continental ICA gathering was held in ICA’s Environment Education
Center (EEE) in Pune, India on 7 October 2006. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Australia
and ICA International represented in the meeting. Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh
attended the event. ICA International Secretary General Lambert Okrah was present
in the event.
Dhaka ICA took part in the Caucus of Community Based Forest (CCBF) meeting held
at EEE of ICA India-Pune hosted by ICA International and funded by the Ford Foundation.
Azizur Rahman from ICA Bangladesh was present in the Forestry Strategic Planning
Workshop held on 2-5 October 2006. Global forest Coalition (GFC), ICA Australia,
three sub-continental ICAs – India, Nepal and Bangladesh and ICAI agreed to be partners
in forest management.
Mohammad Azizur Rahman joined International Association of Facilitators (IAF) North
American Conference - the Art and Mastery of Facilitation Conference held in Baltimore,
Maryland, USA on 15-17 June 2006. Aziz attended various sessions and shared facilitation
experience during the conference.
The third annual sub-continental ICA gathering was held in ICA’s Environment Education
Center (EEE) in Pune, India on 7 October 2006. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Australia
and ICA International represented in the meeting. Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh
attended the event. ICA International Secretary General Lambert Okrah was present
in the event.
Mohammad Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh won in the Board Election of 2007 held on
23rd June 2007 in ICA International secretariat in Canada participated by 30 national
member countries from America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Out of 15 board members
elected 7 was elected for one year and 8 for 3 years and Azizur Rahman is for 3
years (2007-2010).
The year 2008 is remarkable for ICA Bangladesh considering some wedding events happened.
Aziz and Nasrin got married on April 25. Abdul Bari also got married with Piasha,
Faruk with Onnesha. ICA Bangladesh celebrated 40th Wedding Anniversary of Maria
and Richard Maguire on 20 September at Nicolien’s house in Dhaka. Thirty members
attended the event.
Dhaka ICA is going to offer public courses on ToP in December 2008 following the
training calendar. The courses are three-day training in Group Facilitation Methods
(GFM) and three-day Participatory Strategic Planning (PSP). The probable dates are
4-6 December, 13-15 December and 18-20 December and 21-23 December. In January-February
2008, three courses GFM, PSP, and Leadership Development in Organizations, and Teambuilding
were included in the 2008 Training calendar. Maria and Richard Maguire and Lawrence
and Evelyn Philbrook will volunteer in December 2007 and January 2008 respectively.
Dhaka ICA has been raising some funds through TUC Japan to undertake a project entitled
“ Improving the quality of life of the street children through provision of education,
training, urgent needs support and awareness raising initiatives in Dhaka city”.
Under this project, 60 street children will benefit through life skills training.
Dhaka ICA has been also raising some funds through Working Gifts Program for working
in the field of children education and women empowerment.
Through its activities in training, networking and local community development the
Dhaka Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA Bangladesh) has been working on capacity
building for the last five years on a totally voluntary basis, both in urban and
rural areas. It is impressive what these volunteers, both committed professionals
and local people, have been able to bring about with very limited resources. This
is true both for their organisational work in and around Dhaka and their community
development work in Ghoramara village (Shelter Project), in the Chandpur district
150km southwest of Dhaka where about 1500 people who had lost their land in the
area had been given very basic housing and sanitation for a new community life.
Dhaka ICA is guided by an honorary Executive Secretary and governed by a (voluntary)
Board. It is supported by many Members, Associates, Guardians and Advisors in the
country and is a member of the ICAI (International).
All members of the Board have been members of the organization for several years
and serve in a voluntary capacity.
The chairperson of the Board is the ICAB Executive Director (honorary): Mr Mohammad
Azizur Rahman (Assistant Professor of Department of Criminology and Police Science,
Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh. Other members
are Vice-chairperson - Mrs Selina Akter, Secretary -Mohammad Abdul Bari Jamader,
Assistant Secretary: Md. Moniruzzaman Ripon and Treasurer: Md. Naimul Islam.
Advisors of ICA Bangladesh include Prof. Dr A.I. Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, Dept of Sociology,
University of Dhaka, Prof. Dr Abdul Hakim Sarker, Institute of Social Welfare and
Research, University of Dhaka and Secretary General of Association for Correction
and Social Reclamation (ACSR), Dr. A S M Amanullah, Department of Sociology, University
of Dhaka, Mr Ataur Rahman Miton, Country Director, Hunger Free World Bangladesh,
Md. Shafiqur Rahman, ex Joint Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh and ex Director
general of the National Institute of Local Government (NILG) and Nicolien van Eijsden,
member of ICA Netherlands and of ICAI, on work assignment in Dhaka.
ICAB’s programs since its inception had three major thrusts: Capacity building among
interested people who became volunteer staff and networking with others involved
in organisational and community development; Courses in participatory decision making,
facilitation and integrated development, taught by international and local volunteers;
and human development project.
Dhaka ICA would like to acknowledge to ICA Australia and colleagues there specially
Maria, Richard, Julie, Mohan for raising some funds to support Aziz’s trip to Canada
for 6 week-long training in June-July 2008. Bangladesh team is also thankful to
ICAI staffs – Lambert, Sarah, Michael, Katie and Jane for their all out support
to ease the 6 week long training in Canada and arranging various visits and meetings
and FBC staffs for their cooperation and support. Bangladesh team cannot but express
our gratitude to all organizations and people encountered at home and aborad. ICA
Bangladesh expressed special thanks to ICA Australia especially Maria and Richard
for their efforts to raise funds for office and staff support, support for Japan
conference participation and Ghoramara human development project in 2008. Not but
the least ICA Bangladesh is grateful to ICA Australia for payment of ICAI membership
dues of ICA Bangladesh and training workshop in 2007 and 2008.