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Welcome to Connect-Bangladesh!

The Global Connections and Exchange for Bangladesh promotes integration of technology into Bangladeshi schools, including teacher capacity development in terms of both technical skills and teaching methodology. The program's main goals are to increase global dialogue and educational opportunities by installing modern computer equipment with Internet access in schools, and to develop training and learning projects for teachers and students. The GCE is designed to promote equity of access to technology in a region lacking technological resources and enabling infrastructure. The Internet Learning Centers set up under the program have emerged as a community resource, and are managed as a community asset, with the goal of sustainable income-offset operation within a five year window.

The project has produced a replicable telecenter model which has enabled access and learning for 27 core schools.

Scene from an ILC in Bangladesh

Read Digital Learning article ' Three generations of school- based telecenters: A look inside the RI-SOL Bangladesh Project'

RI BD in NEWS




GCE Bangladesh Celebrates GYSD 2008 NEW!

As part of the Global Connections and Exchange Program, Relief International observed the 9th Global Youth Service Day 2008 in April throughout its GCE school network in Bangladesh. This year GYSD was celebrated by 23 GCE schools in Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Khulna, Bagerhat, Kustia, Tongi, Rangunia and Gazipur. The participating schools organized a number of community service projects ranging from students rally to project on Global Warming, from women education project to group discussion on disaster management and preparedness. Read More

International Online Conference on ‘Agenda 21’ NEW!

On 8 May 2008, three GCE students from Yusuf Multipurpose School in Comilla, British American Technology and Management Institute in Dhaka and Pahartali Girls’ High School in Chittagong participated in the ‘Agenda 21’, an international online conference hosted by him German UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet Germany) and the Baltic Sea Project. The theme for the conference was “Transport and Communication Developing the 21st Century”. To learn more about the online conference, please visit: agenda21now
Read More

GCE Bangladesh selected as a finalist for Stockholm Challenge Award 2008 NEW!

GCE Bangladesh program has ben selected as one of the finalists for the Stockholm Challenge Award 2008 . The Stockholm Challenge Award is an ICT for development programme at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden. It culminates in the Challenge Week Event, May 19-22, 2008. The Stockholm Challenge 2008 features a six category Award for ICT for Development projects. The best projects will win the prestigious Stockholm Challenge trophies. The prize ceremony will take place in the City Hall on May 22, in the evening. An extended program of workshops, conference, study visits and social gatherings will bring together the most inspiring ICT entrepreneurs, researchers and students from all over the world to share experiences and knowledge.Read More

Bangladeshi Students Celebrates Earth Day 2008 NEW!

GCE students in Bangladesh joined the global celebration of the Earth Day through web chat, public rally and Internet research on environment, tree plantation in school campus and focus group discussion. Three GLOBE schools in Dhaka and Comilla cluster celebrated the Earth Day on 22 April 2008. The activities undertaken by the students, teachers and community members were aimed at raising awareness about the importance of the Earth Day and the role youth can play in protecting our Mother Earth. Read More

Worldwide Freedom for the Worldwide Web: U.S. Efforts to Protect Internet Freedom NEW!

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice established the Global Internet Freedom Task Force (GIFT) in February 2006 as an internal State Department coordination group to address challenges to freedom of expression and the free flow of information on the Internet. GIFT's core aims are to maximize freedom of expression and the free flow of information and ideas, to minimize the success of repressive regimes in censoring and silencing legitimate debate, and to promote Internet access.Read More

Bangladeshi students discusses US Election in international online Forum NEW!

In March, two GCE schools in Bangladesh ( Sirajuddin Sarker Vidyaniketan and British American Technology and Management Institute in Dhaka cluster) took part in a vibrant online discussion on “United States Elections and Presidential Race” hosted by IREX Washington DC. The online forum started on March 24 and run through March 28, 2008.Michelle Austin and George Burkes jointly moderated the online forum. George Burkes has worked as a reference specialist for the US State Department in the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) for three-and-a-half years. Prior to working at the State Department, he worked for twelve years for the Congressional Research Service. Read More

International Women Day celebrated in Bangladesh NEW!

On 8 March 2008, several GCE schools in Bangladesh organized day long activities including rally, open discussion about the women’s right and the present situation of women in family, society & country to celebrate IWD. More than 250 students, community members and teachers attended various activities to commemorate the day.Photo Gallery

GCE Students participated in Human Rights and Journalism Camp in Dhaka NEW!

Relief International organized a Youth Journalism and Human Rights camp as a part of its ongoing project titled 'Media Access and Education for Human Rights: Bangladesh'. The project is aimed at making the marginalized youth and communities aware of the power of media to influence society and making media accessible to them. The project targets the rural and semi urban youths, local journalists, media professionals and the public at large, and implements enabling technologies appropriate to the existing infrastructure. More information on the project can be found at www.media-humanrights.org. This project is built on ECA supported Global Connections and Exchange. Read More
Photo Gallery

Media Coverage
The Daily New Nation, 24 March 2008
The Daily New Age
Young People's Media Network

Award giving Ceremony for ICT and Youth Grant Held in Dhaka NEW!

On 20 March, 2008, a group of enthusiastic students gathered at RI Dhaka office to receive ICT and Youth Grant Award. Ten winners from Comilla, Chittagong, Jessore and Dhaka attended the day long event took place at RI Dhaka office. The winners also participated in some group activities including presentation of action plan and key activities of the winning projects. A session on web site creation using free blog site such as wordpress and blogpost was also part of the event. Winners committed that they would publicize their project activities through websites and community meetings.
Photo Gallery

Winners of ICT and Youth Grant Announced NEW!

After a long and anxious wait, the results of the ICT and Youth Grant are finally announced. RI SOL invited applications from Bangladeshi youth (up to 18 years old) to participate in an ICT and Youth Grant competition. (Please find the announcement here.) The grant competition is part of Global Connections and Exchange Program-Bangladesh. The GCE is a project of Relief International-Schools Online which has set up internet enabled computer centers in 27 schools in 10 districts in Bangladesh to facilitate ICT based education and cross cultural projects for students, teachers and communities.Read More

GLOBE Inception Workshop held in Dhaka

The Inception workshop on the GLOBE project was held on 4 February 2008 at RI Bangladesh Country Office in Dhaka. The key objective of the day long workshop was to introduce the GLOBE to the participating students and teachers in Bangladesh. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program. GLOBE's vision is to promote and support students, teachers and scientists to collaborate on inquiry-based investigations of the environment and the Earth system working in close partnership with NASA and NSF Earth System Science Projects in study and research about the dynamics of Earth's environment. Read More

ICT and Youth Grant 2007

RI SOL is inviting applications from the Bangladeshi youth (up to 18 years old) to participate in an ICT and Youth Grant competition. The grant competition is part of Global Connections and Exchange Program-Bangladesh. The GCE is a project of Relief International-Schools Online which has set up internet enabled computer centers in 27 schools in 9 districts in Bangladesh to facilitate ICT based education and cross cultural projects for students, teachers and communities. In addition to promoting mutual understanding and enduring ties among schools, teachers and students across borders, GCE programs provide communities with access to information, exposure to ICT and opportunities for participation in public life.Read More

Application Guideline
Application Form

Conference on ICT and Girls Empowerment held in Dhaka NEW!

As in many developing nations, girls in Bangladesh are still not enjoying equal educational, economic, and social opportunities. ICT has brought new opportunities for girls in Bangladesh as well as around the world. Girls need to access to ICT for the same reasons as boys. They need to learn ICT skills for their educational achievements, personal development, and employment opportunities. However, the capacity of girls to take advantage of the new technologies as tools for empowerment is restricted by socio-economic and cultural factors. Development experts remarked these in the conference titled ICT and Girls Empowerment. Relief International-Schools Online in collaboration with Democracy Watch organized the day-long event on 12 December 2007 at BIAM Auditorium in Dhaka.Read More & Picture Gallery
Media coverage
ICT offers new opportunities for girls, The Daily Star, 13 December 2007
ICT empower girls, The Daily Independent, 14 December 2007

Mission 2011 Lunched to Empower Poor and Marginalized through ICT NEW!

Chief Advisor to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed formally launched Mission 2011 of Bangladesh Telecentre Network (BTN) on December 6, 2007 which targeted to set up 40,000 telecentre by 2011 with the vision of an inclusive knowledge society for the poor and the marginalized people in Bangladesh. Ministry of Science and ICT Adviser Mr. Tapan Chowdhury, UNDP Resident representative Ms. Renata L Desallien, Chairman of Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission Mr. Manjurul Alam, Executive Committee member of Global Knowledge Partnership and fellow of Sawminathan Research Foundation, India, Prof Subbiah Arunachalam, and Senior Program Officer of IDRC/telecentre.org Asia Region Dr Basheerhamad Shadrach also spoke at the function.Relief International-Schools Online is a member of the Bangladesh Telecenter Network and committed to help the BTN achieve the goals set by Mission 2011. RI SOL displayed its technology and education projects worldwide in an exhibition organized on the occasion of the lunching of the BTN.
Read More & Picture Gallery

Related Links:

Mission 2011
Mission to empower rural community
Empower poor through IT access: CA
Bid to hook rural people to info IT for Empowerment, editorial,The Daily Star

RI SOL joins Bangladesh Telecenter Network. NEW!

World AIDS Day celebrated in Bangladeshi schools NEW!

GCE students, community members and teachers in Comilla district celebrated World AIDS Day 2007 on 1 December with the slogan Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise. More than 30 students and community members attended a focus group discussion moderated by GCE lead teachers at Yusuf Multipurpose School in Comilla. Participant of the event also was introduced to "What Would You Do?" ,the multi media online game which is conceived by the UNICEF to raise awareness about AIDS. Read More

Bangladesh GCE participates in the Conference Speaking the Same Language: Youth Diplomats Online Together in Washington DC NEW!

Representatives of GCE programs in Asia, Africa, Central Asia and Middle East gathered in Washington DC to participate in a conference titled Speaking the Same Language: Youth Diplomats Online Together held on 14 -17 November 2007. Bangladesh GCE Program was represented by Nazrul Islam. The conference is sponsored by U.S. Department of State's Global Connections and Exchange Program and coordinated by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.Read news story on US INFO


US Embassy Officials meet Students and Teachers in Jessore

On 7 November 2007, a US embassy team headed by Mr. Harvey W. Sernovitz, Deputy Director of American Center in Dhaka visited Badsha Faisal Islamic Institute in Jessore and met students and teachers participating in Global Connections and Exchange Project in Bangladesh. The team visited the Internet Learning Center at the school campus and talked to students, community members and teachers involved in the GCE online and off line projects.Read More & Picture Gallery



Technology Projects Cross Borders, Link Students
Bangladeshi students engage globally through learning centers

By Carolee Walker
USINFO Staff Writer
Washington -- Nearly 100,000 children in Bangladesh use computers and Internet technology to communicate with each other and their teachers, even though few of their families have computers.
In other places, students too young to write are using the Internet to make drawings to learn about each other.
Bangladeshi students -- using blogs, writing essays and posting videos at 27 Internet telecenters throughout the country -- participate in international and interregional projects on climate change, folk stories, journalism, fashion, community service, the environment and Ramadan. They also create Web pages; use computers to draw, paint, and compose and record music; participate in online conferences; and write e-mails to students throughout the world. Read more

Disability Week 2007 celebrated by GCE schools in Bangladesh

GCE Schools in Jessore, Chittagong, Dhaka and Comilla observed Disability Week 2007 to raise awareness about the rights of disabled persons. The key goal of the celebration was to promote an understanding regarding disability issues and to mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of the disabled persons.



GCE ILC visited by UK based Technical Education Team

A group of technical school teachers in UK recently visited the Internet Learning Center at Sirajuddin Bidyyaniketon in Tongi, one of the GCE schools in Dhaka cluster. During the visit on 23 October 2007, the UK team led by Ms. Susan Fitch learned about ILC based GCE activities and expressed her interest in exploring opportunity for online based collaborative projects between Sirajuddin School and UK based technical schools. A groups of GCE teacher and students made a presentation on GCE Technology, Girlz Power and Journalism Club of the schools for the visitors.

Relief International-Schools Online lunches New Online Collaborative Project

RI SOL has recently lunched a new online collaborative project called Youth Connect Worldwide. Youth Connect Worldwide is a key component of the Bangladesh Global Connections and Exchange Program. Through the technical capacity provided by Google Earth and the GCE online learning platforms, the Youth Connect Worldwide, a combination of online and offline activities, is designed to promote Read More



GCE Bangladesh Program Presented at the Waldzell Meetings in Austria

The GCE Bangladesh was chosen to participate in the 2007 Waldzell Meeting, an invitation-only conference on inspiring global change. The GCE Bangladesh attended as an "Architect of the Future," in a program developed to recognize young leaders in social entrepreneurship. The theme of the 2007 Waldzell Meeting, held on 17-19 September 2007 outside Vienna in the historic Benedictine Abbey of Melk, is "What is our legacy". The "Architects of the Future" program honors initiatives that "contribute to making the world a better place."
RI Bangladesh Program Director, Nazrul Islam attended the "Architects of the Future" retreat in Vienna and presented GCE Bangladesh Program at the Waldzell Meeting on 19 September. Read More

More Picture

Global Connections in Bangladesh Receives Prestigious International Award

Bangladesh Global Connections and Exchange program was recently awarded as one of the finalist for the Global Junior Challenge Award in recognition for its work on the use of new technologies in education and youth empowerment. About 600 projects from around 80 countries worldwide have taken part in the Challenge sharing the common vision that a better world is possible through ICTs. Sponsored by Municipality of Rome and the Digital World Foundation, a not-for-profit organization based in Rome, finalists were selected by an international jury and were invited to a ceremony including showcase of the finalist projects at an exhibition to be held in Campidoglio City Hall in Rome from 2 to 6 October 2007. Read More

Picture Gallery

ICT and Persons with Disabilities Conference: The Context of Bangladesh

GCE Bangladesh Program in partnership with Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization (BERDO), National Forum of Organizations working with Disabled (NFOWD), Bangladesh NGO Network for Radio Communications (BNNRC) organized a one day conference titled "ICT and Persons with Disabilities: The Context of Bangladesh" on 14 August 2007 at 10:00am at BRAC Inn, Mohakhali, Dhaka in Bangladesh. The conference is organized as a part of the Global Connections and Exchange Project- Bangladesh . Read More
Picture Gallery

Media coverage of the event
The Daily Star, The Independent, You Tube video clip

RI SOL joins Bangladesh Telecenter Network

RI SOL has joined Bangladesh Telecenter Network which is a coalition of organizations for fostering telecentre movement in Bangladesh. BTN is an inclusive network to bring ICT to the doors of the common people across the country and to collectively promote the idea of building a sustainable information and knowledge system for the poor. The network is based on the idea of maximizing the advantages of information and communication technologies (ICTs) through sharing of experiences and knowledge within the components of the organization. Read More

GCE Youth Exchange Visit to USA: Bangladeshi Youth Leaders Learn about Civic Empowerment and Leadership in the USA

Three Bangladeshi GCE participants have just finished their three week long exchange visit to the USA. During the visit in July 2007, the students had opportunity to learn civic empowerment and youth leadership for community development. They participated in a series of leadership training programs which are expected to impact on their engagement in the development of their own community in particular and their country in general. The youth leaders have also gained first hand experience in multi cultural aspects of the USA and hope to share their knowledge with their peer and community back home. The youth students participated in a number of online projects with their peers in the USA before the traveled to the country. Besides online projects this physical visit by the GCE Bangladeshi students was an effort to make connections between online learning and the off line world. Read More & Picture Gallery.

Inspiring Story from Comilla: An Internet Learning Center in Chowara Village turns to a Digital Photo Studio

Students of the Chowara Girls School and villagers in Chowara in Comilla no longer need to walk down to the city to take a photograph. They can now take photographs right at the Internet learning Center located at the corner of the school. Previously girl students and villagers had to take a bus to go to the city which is 15 kilometer from the village. The GCE students of the school have been able to insist the school to set up a digital photo studio using the digital camera and computers at the ILC. The school's enthusiasm coupled with RI SOL's technical support has made the digital photo studio a reality for the school. Read More
YouTube Video clips Clip 1, Clip 2
Story about the photo studio in Telecenter and a discussion on an Online Forum.

RI SOL partnered with Bangladeshi youth focused organizations to celebrate International Youth Day 2007

RI SOL partnered with National Federation of Youth Organizations in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Association of Young Researcher (BAYR), YES Bangladesh Country Network, and Bangladesh Association for Social Advancement (BASA) and Youth Forum for ICT Development-Bangladesh, Global Coalition on HIV/AIDS to celebrate the International Youth Day 2007 on 12 August. A number of activities were undertaken by the participating organizations to observe the day. Prof. S.M.A. Faiz, Hon'ble Vice Chancellor of University of Dhaka inaugurated the event as the chief guest. Read More

Bangladeshi Students Participate in International Online Conference on Globalization

Bangladeshi GCE students participated in the Eighth International Internet Conference "Agenda 21 NOW!" on 9 May 2007. The theme for this year's conference was "globalization". Students from Siraj Uddin Sarker Vidyaniketan from Tongi in Gazipur and Choawra Girls High School in Comilla joined several hundreds students from around the world to discuss issues pertaining to the globalization, such as, climate change, fair trade, communication and people. The students talked about ways of achieving sustainable development and how young people could contribute to the Agenda 21.

This 24-hour online conference was for students aged 14+ from all over the world. Over a thousand students and educators participated in the online conference, which was a joint project of the German UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet Germany) and the Baltic Sea Project.
More photos

The US Ambassador inaugurates Internet Learning Center at Khulna Alia Madrasa










On 11 April, 2007, U.S. Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis has formally inaugurated the Internet Learning Center at Khulna Alia Madrasa. During the inauguration ceremony, Butenis told to the media that centre will enable the madrasa students to learn about the lifestyle of the American people. She said the installation of the centre will contribute to strengthening the ties and friendship between Khulna Alia Madrasa and the US embassy as well as the American people. Read More

GCE Bangladesh schools celebrates International Women's Day 2007

Relief International, in collaboration with select GCE schools in Bangladesh, celebrated International Women's Day on 8 March, 2007. The celebration included a number of activities such as student rallies, ICT training for girls, art competitions, and small discussion groups on girl's empowerment. Read More

Podcast: Scenes from a Bangladeshi Telecentre

Check out Andy Carvin's video montage of a RI-SOL telecenter based in Chowara Girls School at Comilla from this link:

- http://mefeedia.com/entry/117012/ (opens new window)



February 2008
So You Think You Can Dance? (Global) This lesson plan shows students how traditional dancing is a unique cultural tradition in many societies, yet connected to other traditions in many ways. This lesson also requires students to think of the role cultural dance plays in their community, and to help revive the importance of cultural dance. Students will interact with other youth participating in cultural dance in other countries. They will engage the youth in conversation about the similarities between traditions. Students will also visit local organizations that practice and promote traditional dance. The plan culminates with a project documenting what they have learned. Students will take photographs and make documentaries about traditional dance, and possibly even document themselves performing cultural dance.

2007 Online Projects

2006 Online Projects



More Events in 2007

ILC at a Madrasa in Khulna
GCE Public Meeting in Bagerhat, Rangunia and Comilla
GCE Bangladeshi students discuss MDGs in Online Forum
GCE Schools celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2007
Earth Day 2007 observed in Jessore
Global Youth Service Day 2007 observed in Bangladesh
School in Kustia District joins GCE Program as an Associate School
Meena Video Show at GCE ILC Raises Awareness about Rights of Girl Children
Watch Vedio of the TPD training in Comilla
GCE Youth Exchange: July 10-30, 2007
Dhaka Madrasa students Observe World Environment Day 2007
Khulna Alia Madrasa Advocates for an Inclusive Information Society on World Information Society Day 2007
Chowara School Celebrates Mother's Day
GCE students draw for future with US LINC students
Bangladeshi schools participate in Doors to Diplomacy and Cyber Fair 2007
Best ILC award 2006- 07
LINC Program 2007
Madrasa School Opening
GCE School Receives Disney Minnie Grant 2007
Bangladesh-East Indian English as a Foreign Language Institute (EFL)
US to Bangladesh and India Visit: February 10-21/2007

GCEP ICT and Education Conference 2007 in Dhaka
Teacher Professional Development Training in Comilla, Jessore and Chittagong District
RI-SOL Jessore Khulna Cluster participates in International Knowledge Management for Development Workshop


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The Global Connections and Exchange Project – Bangladesh is a project of Relief International - Schools Online's Global
 Citizenship & Youth Philanthropy Program and has been made possible with major funding from the United States State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Global Catalyst Foundation.