Bangladesh Freedom Foundation

Bangladesh Freedom Foundation

Formation	1997
Headquarters	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Region served	Bangladesh
Official language	Bengali
Website	freedomfound.org

Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ ফ্রিডম ফাউন্ডেশন) is an independent organization providing grants in Bangladesh to various organizations and funded by Ford Foundation. It carries our research on student perceptions of the education system in Bangladesh and has promoted science education.[1][2][3]

Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, is the chair and Muhammad Younus, chief advisor of Bangladesh, is the emeritus trustee of Bangladesh Freedom Foundation.[4]

Md Morhsed Alam is the project director of Bangladesh Freedom Foundation.[5]

History

Bangladesh Freedom Foundation was established as a trust in 1997 and registered with the NGO Affairs Bureau in 1998.[6] It is funded by the Ford Foundation.[6] Mahfuz Anam was the founding chair and Rehman Sobhan was the original treasurer of the organization.[4] The founding trustee board included Debapriya Bhattacharya, Qazi Fazlur Rahman, Meghna Guhathakurta, Muhammad Younus, Nayla Khan, Sultana Kamal, Syed Manzoor Elahi,[7] and Wahiduddin Mahmud.[4] The board of trustee would later include Angela Gomes, Rokeya Afzal Rahman,[8] Samson H Chowdhury,[9] and Zafar Iqbal.[4] Jamilur Reza Choudhury was affiliated with the oranization.[10]

In 2009, the foundation sponsored Museums: Building Community event at the Liberation War Museum.[11] It is partnered with Agrogoti Sangstha, Local Environment Development and Agricultural Research Society, Udayankur Seba Sangstha.[12][13][14]

Bangladesh Freedom Foundation has also received support from The Malala Fund and the Australian High Commission.[15] It publishes a quarterly newsletter called Philanthropy.[4] The Ford Foundation has mixed in with the Bangladesh Freedom Forum and has received criticism from the Gateway House of the Indian Council on Global Relation for hiring the best talent away from government service.[16]

The foundation has provided funding for Bangladesh Junior Science Olympiad, Children Science Congress, National School Science Debate, STEM & ICT Skills for the Girls of Coastal Areas, and increasing harvest.[15][17]

Trustee board

• Mahfuz Anam (chair)[18]
• Firdous Azim[18]
• Rasheda K. Choudhury[18]
• Perween Hasan[18]
• Mohammad Kaykobad[18]
• Pratima Paul Majumder[18]
• M Arshad Momen[18]
• Abdul Quayum[18]
• Rezaur Rahman[18]
• Zeba Islam Seraj[18]
• Iftekharuzaman,[18] executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh[19]

References

1. Chandan, Md Shahnawaz Khan (2017-08-18). "Science is out". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
2. "Science education can help building digital Bangladesh: Speakers". Daily Sun. 27 March 2016. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
3. Hyderi, Fardin Akbar (30 September 2012). "Science Education among High School Students". archive.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
4. Islam, Mazharul (17 September 2021). "Bangladesh Freedom Foundation". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
5. "Bangladesh boys win six medals in science olympiad". Prothomalo. 2016-12-10. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
6. "The Organization | Bangladesh Freedom Foundation". Retrieved 2024-08-26.
7. ""I never thought to be second"". daily-sun. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
8. "IPDC Ogroj: Rokia Afzal Rahman reflects on nearly 6 decades of career". Dhaka Tribune. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
9. "Chowdhury, Samson H - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
10. Saifullah, Md (2022-04-28). "Jamilur Reza Choudhury at a glance". Prothomalo. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
11. Chowdhury, Akku (2009-03-26). "Keeping the spirit of the Liberation War alive". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
12. "Current Development Partners – Agrogoti Sangstha". Retrieved 2024-08-26.
13. "Development Partners". Local Environment Development and Agricultural Research Society. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
14. "Udayankur Seba Sangstha (USS)". www.ussnilphamaribd.org. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
15. "Current Projects | Bangladesh Freedom Foundation". Retrieved 2024-08-26.
16. gateway (2024-08-15). "Stirring regime change in Bangladesh". Gateway House. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
17. "3rd junior science Olympiad begins". Prothomalo. 2017-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
18. "Board of Trustees | Bangladesh Freedom Foundation". Retrieved 2024-08-26.
19. "Iftekharuzzaman". ti-bangladesh.org. Retrieved 2024-08-26.