Women are equally present in the fields of science and technology as they are in other fields of general education. This perception is no more going to be acceptable. According to UNESCO data, 53% of the total undergraduate and postgraduate students worldwide are women (44% at the undergraduate and 55% at the postgraduate level), and 43% percent at the PhD level. In other words, women have become almost equal to men in higher education. But the participation of women in science and research is only 28%. Recently, in a study of ‘Nature’ magazine, it is found that only 17% of 83,000 research papers, the main researchers were women. According to 2017 data of Bangladesh Education Information and Statistics Bureau (BANBAIS), the rate of female students in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) is only 20.39%. This rate is more or less same in other engineering educational institutions as well.
But the calculation is a bit old. The reality is that women’s participation in technology like dancing, singing, reciting or painting is increasing. From the cultural sphere, they are gradually stepping into the fields of technology. The chairman of the Freelancer Development Society Dr. Tanjiba Rahman said that freelancing has increased at a geometric rate in the last 5 years. She said that 5 years ago, the rate of women freelancers in the country was 3% only. But now in terms of the number of open market places, the rate of women has increased to 11%. The rate of successful women in income is 4%. She finds stubbornness and inability of girls to face challenges as an obstacle to increase this rate.
Similar information on women advancing in technology came from Rezwana Khan, President of BWIT. She said that now, 15 percent of the workers in the core tech (software and hardware) sector in Bangladesh are from women. And if e-commerce and BPO are calculated, it is 25%.
Meanwhile, WE President Nasima Akhter Nisha said that the ratio of men and women in Bangladesh F Commerce is 40:61. This rate has doubled in the last four years. Women are now engaged in agro-fishery, leather and materials like jute. They are now doing fusion in products. Moving towards innovation. Going out of the country.
Visiting the Website of Dhaka University, it can be seen that the participation of women in the science departments of the university has increased. However, that is still a quarter of the total. Images of increasing participation of women in science research are available on the websites of scientific research institutions. A review of ICDDRB’s list of researchers reveals some exceptions. It can be seen that one third of the total researchers are women.
Emeritus scientist of infectious disease department of ICDDR,B Dr. Ferdowsi Qadri emphasized the importance of increasing the participation of women in the technology sector. She is the first scientist from the subcontinent to receive the Christophe and Rodolphe Mérieux Foundation from the French Academy of Sciences in 2012. She opines that research requires a lot of effort and the mentality to face lot of difficulties. Women can do that if they want. Research or participation in such work can change the whole personality of a woman.
Similarly, in Bangladesh like all over the world, stressing on increasing the education of women in the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), Professor Hasina Khan, Secretary of Bangladesh Science Academy, feels that even if women study in STEM subjects, they are not motivated to take it as a profession later. Because apart from job security, opportunities are few and lots of time is required. As a result, a married woman cannot take this challenge most of the time. However, the taboo is breaking, we have role models in front of us like physicist Marie Curie, Ferdowsi Qadri, mathematician Dr. Karen Ullenbeck and others. There is an opportunity for research in domestic feed and seed companies. Adequate investment in research in these fields will create opportunities for those who have come forward in science education.
On the other hand, according to a report of the state news media BASS, the participation of women in the country’s science and technology has increased. However, the participation of girls in science education in Bangladesh is still low due to psycho-social and economic reasons. Even though highly educated, culturally connected parents want to involve their daughters in cultural activities, it is difficult to find parents who want to involve them in science.
Lafifa Jamal, professor of robotics and mechatronics engineering department of Dhaka University, said that the participation of girls in science education is less due to socio-economic reasons. Most parents want to spend relatively less on girls’ education. Since the cost of science education is high, there is less interest among parents to teach science to girls.
This educationist, who won the ‘Women ICT Personality of the Year 2022’ in 2022 for her special contribution to information and communication technology in Bangladesh, said that the participation of girls in science education has increased in this century and they are working successfully in various branches of science.
Senjuti Saha, a young woman from Bangladesh, is one of the world’s top 10 microbiological scientists in a survey by the world-renowned science magazine Lancet. The leader of the team that identified the genome sequence of the new corona virus found in Bangladesh said, ‘Though it has changed slowly, the context has not changed that much yet. A lot of changes are coming in the society. The girls are going out, working outside; but, in most cases, girls have to handle both places.’
Senjuti said, ‘In order to increase the participation of women in science and research, men and women should share the work equally at home and outside. Until women get the opportunity to work on an equal footing with men, women must be given more support. We are now on a level field. The boys have been working for a long time. Therefore, to reduce the gap between men and women, more attention should be paid to women.
Bangladesh’s team ‘Team Diamonds’ has become the global champion in the ‘Most Inspirational’ category of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest hackathon competition organized by the American space research agency NASA. Tisa Khandkar, a student of Daffodil International University, is the team leader of this team. Among the other four in her group, one is a girl and three are boys.
Team Diamonds was recognized as the Global Champion in the competition by creating the ‘Diamonds in the Sky’ interactive game based on the various mysteries of space. This game designed for children allows children to learn the mysteries of space through playing games.
The mother of three roboticist daughters Dr. Syeda Momena Afsana told BSS thatas the participation of girls in general education has increased in Bangladesh, the participation of girls in science education has also increased in the last ten years, which is much less than that of men.However, the dropout rate of girls in higher education in science education and research is still high.
Dr. Momena said, “I think it will take us a long time to accept that technology like dancing, singing, reciting or drawing can be a hobby for children. However, people’s thinking is changing now. If children are interested in science studies rather than cultural activities, they should be given that opportunity.”
However, in the meantime, the innovation of digital finance has paved the way to meet the unique financial needs and wants of women. Some notable government digital finance services Aspire to Innovate – a2i’s ‘Sathi’ and microcredit software ‘Swasti’ bridge the gap between mobile banking and microloans. Women are conducting business online, receiving and imparting various trainings, receiving various allowances and assistance through mobile phone, getting information, even legal and health care online.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) report published in December 2022 shows that 90% of women in the country are using mobile phones. In case of men, this rate is 89.9%. Women are ahead in this regard. In addition, 97.4% of households in the country have cellular mobile phones. Besides, 52.2% of families have smartphones. In 2013 where women used internet 4. 8% of households, and in 2022 it increased to 38.1%. This reckoning suggests that technology has come as a tool of immense potential for women. Now the social taboo must be broken.
Imdadul Haque: Executive Editor, Digibanglatech