Professional Experiences

Professor Lutfor Rahman

19th March 2007 -- till now

Chairman and Professor employed by the Stamford University of Bangladesh for the department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). The responsibilities include academic as well as administrative activities such as lecturing in the class rooms, demonstration in the laboratories, conducting examinations, organizing meetings, seminars, conferences and attending ICT related events at home and abroad. Responsibilities also include recruitments of faculties for the department.

15th January 2003 – 14th January 2007
Vice-Chancellor appointed on approval of HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT of Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh and CHANCELLOR of the Private Universities for the Pundra University of Science and Technology (PUST) at Bogra for a tenure of 04 (four) years as per Private University Act 1992. This is a challenging job for producing ICT enabled human resources through establishment of an effective university in rural atmospheres. As Chief Executive of the University, he is responsible for academic and administrative affairs. The other responsibilities; planning and designing course curricula of the faculty of Science & Technology for the departments: (a) Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), (b) Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) and (c) Information Technology and Networking (ITN), Organizing seminars, conferences, workshops at the university, and participation and presentation of papers in similar international events at universities abroad, collection of funds and their proper utilization through implementation of research projects, liaison with the Ministries, University Grants Commission (UGC), and collaborating universities, industries and international talents, experts and donor agencies at home and abroad. Writing proposals for research grants from donor agencies is one of the main duties.


As founder Vice-Chancellor of Pundra University of Science and Technology (PUST) which was initially named as A.A.IT University, he maintains good communications with local people and studies their attitudes towards the university, faculty members and others.
Responsibilities also include infrastructure development, equipping laboratories, selection of proper tools, advising for equipment purchase, faculty recruitment, chairing academic councils meetings, Syndicate meetings, finance and other concerned meetings.

January 2001 – December 2002
Project Director/Vice-Chancellor (designate) appointed by the Chairman on approval of the governing body of the Pundra University of Science and Technology, Bogra

Responsibilities: Preparing project proposal as per private university act 1992 and UGC rules and regulations, selection of faculty, arrangement of fund for fixed deposit as well as for running capital, necessary arrangement for inspection of the proposed university campus by UGC team and keeping close contact with the ministry of educations for affiliation, starting the academic activities in a rural atmosphere facing unlimited problems, not anticipated earlier, and balancing the situation under strategic use of previous experience gained from university, industry and research organizations at home and abroad.

February 1999 - December 2000
Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (USTC) appointed on recommendation of the selection committee chaired by the National Professor Dr. Nurul Islam, the Respected Chairman of the governing body of the USTC.

Responsibilities include academic affairs of four faculties including medical sciences consisting of 11 departments. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) courses at undergraduate level as the founder Chairman of Computer Science and Technology department were introduced by him.

March 1996 - Present : Additional activities
Coordinator of ICT Development Programs for the senior women scientists, researchers and technologists in the Commonwealth countries including Bangladesh under sponsorship of the Commonwealth Science Council (CSC), Commonwealth Secretariat, London, UK in cooperation of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Govt. of Bangladesh, using the Association for Advancement of Information Technology (AAIT) as the local platform in Dhaka. This is a research-oriented project in the field of ICT under (CSC) to upgrade the status of women scientists, researchers and technologists who are disadvantaged in many respects in commonwealth countries, particularly in Bangladesh. He participates in international events to give presentations on the project’s output and success and failure stories in favor of CSC and AAIT, a non-profit organization.

March 1995 - June 1997
Deputy Director and Associate Professor at Institute of Science and Technology (IST), Dhaka and a member of the academic council in the category of subject expert of computer science under the National University of Bangladesh who affiliated the institute in 1994.
July 1991 - February 1995
Technology expert/member of the national committee formed on recommendation of Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia in 1993 on exploration of beach sand minerals (Zircon, Ilmenite, Rutile, Garnet etc) found in the coastal region of Bangladesh under ministry of science and technology. He has written numerous articles on valuable minerals in 90’s. He was also self- employed on technological research (technology in education) under the Texas (USA) based non government organization ICTE and attended many events of ICTE as one of their board members.

May 1980 – June 1990
Electronics Engineer (UHF, VHF, HF Radio-Communications) at the U.S. Geological Survey (US Govt.) in Reston, USA. and Duty Stations: USA, Middle East, Africa and Bangladesh
Job responsibilities included maintenance and selection of proper tools and equipment for test laboratories and communication section and frequent visits by helicopters, sky vans and other aircrafts to the mining fields located in deserts and troubled areas of the countries rich in minerals.
Liaison with the faculties of the concerned departments of the top universities and research organizations in USA for geological and geochemical tests of samples collected from prospective fields and targeted areas by the geologists. Visit to science and technology research laboratories and organizations based in USA & UK and attending meetings with the concerned scientists and experts.

September 1977 -April 1980
Electronics Engineer at Sanyo Electronics Co. (Japan)
Duty Stations : Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iran
Job responsibilities: Maintenance, repair and installation of electronic equipment and liaising with educational institutes to identify their needs. He was trained by Sanyo Electronics Co. in diverse fields of Electronics and Telecommunications that enabled him to work independently under difficult situations and climate. He learnt how to take immediate decision on solving techno -scientific faults or problems that may arise in running an industry, laboratory or research centre.

April 1972 - August 1977
Lecturer in Physics at Khulna Govt. Girls’ College, Khulna, appointed on recommendation of Public Service First Commission based on selection board held in October 1970 under the government of then Pakistan. Responsibilities include delivering lectures and guiding students at the practical classes of electricity, magnetisms, sound, optics, heat, thermodynamics and general physics

10. Countries traveled for relevant works:
German, Japan, China, Korea, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, India, Ghana, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar, Tanzania, USA and UK.

11. Countries Visited till August 2005
United States of America, United Kingdom, Scotland, Canada, Australia, Japan, German, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Kuet, Countries of Gulf and Arab Emirates, Iran, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India and Pakistan.
12. INTERNATIONAL AWARDS/TRAVEL GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS:
October 2006 Third World Academy Awards for Capacity Building workshop held in October
2006 at Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy
Sept. 2006 Travel grant from Brighton University for participation at the GAST meeting held
at Brighton university in Sept. 2006 at Brighton University UK
October 2005 SDC Award covering all costs to participate in the Role of New Information
Technologies in Development conference held at Wilton Park (a Commonwealth
office) in Sussex, UK
August 2005 Travel Award from the Ministry of Science and Technology, South Korea to
attend ICWES13 held at the Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
Dec. 2004 CISCO grants for International Conference on ICT in Education held in India
Sept. 2004 Fellowships from Makerere University to attend conference on ICT in Uganda
Aug. 2004 Grants from SIDA for attending seminar on i4d held at Beijing, China
March 2003 Grants from World Bank to attend 3rd World Water Forum in, Kyoto, Japan
October 2002 UNESCO Scholarship for participation in Conference in Vancouver, Canada
Sept. 2002 Grants from World Bank for the Workshop at BITS, Rajsthan, India
July 2002 ICWES12 CIDA Award for Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
July 2002 NORAD Grant for Makerere University, Uganda, East Africa
May 2002 Commonwealth Academic Exchange Fellowship for Bangalore, India
July 2001 Commonwealth CSC travel grant to attend a conference at Murdoch
University, Perth, Western Australia
Nov. 2000 German Ministry of Education Grants for Kiel University, Germany
May 2000 CSC Fellowship for the University of Cape Town, South Africa
April 2000 ISESCO and IDB Grants for Karachi University, Pakistan
February 2000 CSIR and Indian National Science Academy Grant for Madras, India
October 1999 URSI (Belgium) Grant for University of Botswana, South Africa
June 1999 NORAD Grant for Ghana, West Africa
March 1998 UNESCO and SID Grant for the University of California, UCB, USA
March 1998 Ford Foundation Grant for Chicago, USA
March 1998 ICTE and UNESCO support for New Mexico, USA
Sept. 1996 Commonwealth (CSC) Fellowship to attend an IT course in Tanzania
March 1996 Commonwealth CSC Travel Grant for Luciana University in New
Orleans, USA

13. PRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES:
October 2006
Participated and presented paper entitled “Capacity Building for Sustainable Development through empowerment of scientists and technologists with ICT” in Capacity Building workshop held 10-13 October 2006 at Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy.
Sept. 2006
Participated and presented paper “ICT for improving science and technology knowledge among rural girls of Bangladesh” in GASAT conference held 3rd-8th Sept. 2006 at Brighton University UK
October 2005
On invitation of Director of Sustainable Development Program of Wilton Park , an executive agency of the Commonwealth office, participated in the 798th Wilton Park conference on “the Role of New Information Technologies in Development: Becoming an Information Society” held 17-20 October at Sussex, UK.
August 2005
Presented paper entitled “Promoting the girls’ participation in science and engineering education in Bangladesh” at the 13th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES13) held 26-29 August 2005 at the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea.
December 2004
Chaired a session and presented paper entitled “Leading Role in ICT enabled Human development in Bangladesh” at the International Conference on ICT for Education and Development held 16-18 December 2004 in Bhopal and the event was jointly organized by the All India Society for Electronics and Computer Technology (AISECT) and the C.V Raman University at Raipur, India.
September 2004
Participated and presented paper entitled “Establishment of ICT based University in a remote village” at the international conference held 4-8 Sept. 2004 at Makerere University in Uganda.
August 2004
Participated and presented paper entitled “ICT for improving healthcare of rural populations of Bangladesh” at the International conference MAP ASIA held 26-29 August 2004 in Beijing, China.
March 2003
Participated and presented paper entitled “ICT for improving water related problems in Bangladesh” which was selected to the best 10 (ten) by the international panel of Jury and he was awarded by the govt. of Japan at the 3rd World Water Forum held in March 2003 at Kyoto, Japan.
October 2002
Participated in the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) of Women in Computing and presented paper entitled “ICT training to improve health care of rural populations” held at Vancouver, BC, Canada
July 2002
Participated in ICWES12 and presented paper entitled “Promoting Use of Information Technology IT by women scientists and doctors of Bangladesh” held at the Congress Centre, Ottawa, Canada.
July 2002
Participated and presented paper entitled “Advancement and Empowerment of Women Scientists and Technologists of Bangladesh through Information Technology” at the World Congress held at Makerere University, Uganda, East Africa
July 2001
Participated in the Community Technology Conference and presented paper entitled “Promoting the use of Information Technology by Bangladeshi Scientists & Doctors” held at the Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia
February 2001
Participated and presented paper entitled “Information Technology for empowerment of medical scientists” at International Conference on Science, Technology & Mathematics Education for human development held at Goa, India
November 2000
Presentation entitled “Empowering women scientists, researchers and technologists of Bangladesh through Information Technology Training” held at Kiel University, Germany
July 2000
Invited for presentation entitled “Geo-Scientists of a developing country in IT” held at Hawaii Village, Honolulu, Hawaii
May 2000
Presentation entitled “Information and Communication Technology in a developing country, Bangladesh: Lessons learnt from a pilot project” in the (IFIP) Conference held at University of Cape Town, South Africa
April 2000
Chaired a session of Science and Technology Development Forum held at University of Karachi, Pakistan
February 2000
Presentation entitled “Information Technology in Communication Development in Bangladesh” in the Conference COMMSPHERE 2000 held at IIT, Madras, India
October 2000
Presentation entitled “IT in Rural Communication Development in Bangladesh” in Radio Africa ’99 at the University of Botswana, Africa
July 1999
Presentation entitled “Women in Information Technology” at the GASAT Conference held at the University of Ghana, West Africa
March 1999
Presentation entitled “Women Scientists of Bangladesh in Information Technology” at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
March 1998
Invited by the SID to attend and discuss on Gender and Education in an event held at the University of California at Berkeley, USA
March 1998
Presentation entitled “Technology Development in a Developing country, Bangladesh” at the Third World Conference Foundation held at Chicago, USA
March 1998
Invited to discuss on future plan and program of the International Conference on (ICTE) held at Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA as advisory board member of ICTE based in Texas, USA
March 1996
Participated in International Conference on Technology in Education (ICTE) held at New Orleans, USA
August 1989
Participated in International Conference on High Energy Accelerators held at the Tsukuba Science City, Ibaraki, Japan

Participated in several International Electronic Conferences (E-Conference) organized by Europe and USA based universities and international agencies like UNESCO, sitting in Bangladesh.

14. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: B.Sc (Hons), M.Sc. (Double)

1972 M.Sc in Applied Physics and Electronics, Second class from Rajshahi University.
Main papers: Electronics, Telecommunications, Geophysics, Radar, Wave Guide,
Antenna, Microwave & Propagations

1969 M.Sc in Physics, 2nd class from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh (then Pakistan). Main Papers: Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Instrumentation and Electronics.
1968 B.Sc (Hons) in Physics, 2nd Class from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh (then Pakistan) with subsidiary subjects: Mathematics and Chemistry
1965 Higher Secondary from Dhaka Board, 2nd division, Rajendra College, Faridpur, East Pakistan
1963 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from Dhaka Board, First division, East Pakistan

He attended numerous training courses on science, technology, ICT, telecommunications, capacity building, sustainability and social reformation and development held at home and abroad.

15. Major Publications :
a) “Empowerment of women researchers with Information Technology to enhance their activities in Bangladesh” published in the women in computing volume-2005 by University of East London, UK.

b) His short paper on “Gender and IT” has been included in the “Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology”-2005 published under the Editorship of Professor Dr. Eileen M.Truth, at the Pennsylvania State University, USA.

c) “Establishing an IT Culture among the women scientists in Bangladesh” published in Paths to Prosperity - Science and Technology in the Commonwealth 1999/2000

d) “Information Technology in Rural Communications Development in Bangladesh” published in the “Radio Africa ’99 Conference proceedings”.

e) “Information Technology for the Decision Makers” included in the 1998 Dubai International Award for Best Practice Data Base of the UNCHS (Habitat)

f) “Development of Information Technology Culture among the women researchers of one of the small nations (Bangalee)” accepted by the University of British Columbia, Canada for publication in the conference proceedings in 2000.

g) Science and Technology Development in Bangladesh (published in the daily Observer)
h) Science, Scientists and the Public
i) Technology “Master Key for Development”
j) Information technology for improving self-confidence

16. Membership of a) USA Texas based ICTE Advisory Board Member
Professional b) URSI member based at the University of Ghent, Belgium
Associations: c) National University Academic Council's member as Computer
Science expert for the session 1996-1997

17. Personal Success Stories :

Professor Lutfor Rahman

a) His Excellency Chief Emeka Anyouku, the Secretary General of Commonwealth Secretariat gave me His Hand Written appreciation letter for the successful implementation of IT project through empowerment of Women Scientists, Researchers and Technologists of Bangladesh whose knowledge and skills previously remained unutilized in the fast advancing world of IT. For unique activities, Commonwealth awarded him several Fellowships and Travel Grants to sharing knowledge in other Commonwealth countries through participation in international conferences.

b) Succeeded to convince Dr. Evgueni Khvilon, Program Specialist of UNESCO to give consent for establishment of the Fifth UNESCO Institute of Information Technology in Education (IITE) in Bangladesh, and Dr. Sylvia (Funding Source) to coordinate fund for the project, while he was attending ICTE meeting as Advisory Board Member at the University of New Mexico, USA in 1998.

c) 52 medical scientists were empowered with new technology ICT along with 96 women scientists, researchers and technologists. Knowledge and skills of trained Medical Scientists are now being utilized for implementing Telemedicine/Tele-health programs in the remote rural areas in Bangladesh. ISTI (Indigenous Science and Technology at Ikrail) is one such centre.

d) Established a community primary school, a secondary school, a vocational school and a post office on his effort in one of the remotest rural areas in Bangladesh. The schools are located in the centre of a circular shaped area surrounded by the river-Modhumoti. Schools have the major responsibility of preparing their students as learners, workers and honest citizens. One of the main objectives of establishment of the schools in the remote area is to reduce the knowledge gap between the rural and urban students particularly in the fields of technology (local and relevant technology). The schools have enabled the local youths to use technology comfortably. Many of the girls who used to collect cow dung or help their parents’ works are now using sewing machines, screw drivers, screw gauge, slide calipers and other relevant technology tools to perform their practical works. They acquire basic knowledge of science and technology from nature, then from the schools. This is a platform to find the result of blending modern technology with local technology. Tremendous results have been achieved. The children are no longer afraid of technology. Their self confidence is developing significantly and their life style is also changing day by day. Technology is also being used in farming and making the area more attractive to people for living and working and to change the area into a centre of more meaningful life for a growing diversity of people of all ages. He has made a social reform in the area with application of relevant and the most effective technology.

e) Indigenous Science and Technology at Ikrail (ISTI), a Resource Centre: Established in the remote river island close to the schools in 2000 when he realized that thousands of people living in rural areas are facing serious problems and immeasurable sufferings just because of lack of knowledge, lack of awareness or lack of information.

(f) University is the best platform for human resource development and ICT is the best tool for all pervasive development. Realizing the importance of ICT, a project for establishment of an ICT based university was conceived in 2000 through empowerment of 112 Scientists, Technologists, Researchers and medical doctors with ICT in the northern region of Bangladesh. Initially the name of the university was given “University of the Association for Advancement of Information Technology (UAAIT)”, later on, changed to Pundra University of Science and Technology (PUST) to give importance to historical background of the oldest city of Bangladesh and wide coverage to science and technology. Initial assurance of cooperation from the Commonwealth Science Council (CSC) as well as UNESCO was the main source of inspiration for the project. Before embarking on project activities, a survey was conducted to identify the actual needs and areas of implementation of ICTs in the region. On affiliation from the ministry of education, academic activities were started in 2003 with five ICT related subjects under two faculties in the village-Thengamara. By the time, lots of problems have been identified and their solutions have been achieved. A comparative study between universities located in rural and urban atmospheres is going on under his guide lines in cooperation of global colleagues.
Farmers in university: a challenging research project is also going on under his supervision. Bangladesh is a country of farmers who produce food for the nation. The farmers in the country are deprived in many ways. They don’t get real prices of their products because of lack of information. Sometimes they don’t get buyers in the bazaars to sell their home grown vegetables, fruits etc. They throw their products and go home back weeping. Many tragic scenes are observed in the northern region, particularly in Bogra, Rangpur & Dinajpur. At the age of Information Technology, this situation should no more exist. Farmers should have direct access to agricultural information. They should reap benefit of technology, particularly information technology. Technology should be deployed where it is relevant and advantageous to do so in satisfying needs or solving issues. We have an advantage in that we have the vast experience of developed countries before us and could well avoid the mistakes of the past. Ideas he picked up from African countries, Indian subcontinents and East Asian countries are now being implemented in diverse fields.
Initiatives have been taken through training a group of women who are closely related to farming activities. The main campus of the university is located 10 (ten) Kms away from the main town of Bogra. Installation of Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) system at the main campus of Pundra University of Science and Technology in Thengamara enable farmers to have direct access to agricultural information. The system brings farmers within 20-25 Kms radius, in direct contact with the university. It enables farmers to seek vital data and information about weather forecasts, market conditions, cropping pattern, management of crop diseases, research and technology just at the push of a button. Pundra University of Science and Technology (PUST), in collaboration with the WLL service provider agency, have plan of installing IT kiosks at villages within the operational area under his guidance. The same may extend to private parties on commercial contract basis for day-to-day management. Farmers are supposed to walk into the kiosk and seek need-based solutions, besides, experts’ advice from university researchers and professors on specific problems. Weather information helps fisher men decide what risks to take at sea, and database enables villagers to access medical and veterinary help as well.