Bangladesharchives

Under presidency of prof. Sharif uddin Ahmed Bangladesh Archives & Records management Society, met today, 1 June, with Dutch representatives to discuss executive agenda:

1. International Arcives Day 9 June
2. Preservation of Documents on current Corona Virus Pandemic
3. International Seminar in Januari / February 2021
4. Establishment of an Archives Study Institute

It was agreed that:

On local level documents will be collected to establish an Archive on the actual pandemic. There will be involvement of local groups like Shatabdir Konto in Kishoreganj (Local Press group), Heritage Archives Bangladesh History in Rajshahi etc. Letters will be written to institutions on community, district and national level to participate and keep their records about this crisis safe. Also there is need of digital platforms as many people will collect documents by mobile phone, start their own (local) websites about care for destitute people and emergency food programmes (f.e. Jaldhaka / Balagram). prothom Alo will collect their archives about the Pandemic.

International Archives Week https://www.ica.org/en/international-archives-week-8-14-june-2020 will be celebrated by BARMS on 9 June under the banner “Archivists are activists” with a digital conference. “Archivists are activists” is the title for BARMS to work on the next years by BARMS.

Agreed that in February 2021 an International Conference will be organized by BARMS with cooperation of Dutch partners.

Asked by Lutful how in The Netherlands archives are working during pandemic Sigfried explains:

1. Archives were closed between 15 March – 14 May. Only urgent needs for information were delivered.
2. Boost in digitalisation for the following years 2021 – 2031
3. National effort to establish a memory on the pandemic by collecting private and institutional archives on the subject.

BARMS will discuss with Bangladesh National Archives the establishment of an Archives Study Institute while there is too little expertise on archives in Bangladesh.

Next meeting: 9 June.

From 24 – 31 July Jo Spaubeck and Sigfried Janzing visited Bangladesh for Commeet.org and Barm Netherlands.

A short summary of the activities:

1. Discussion with Md. Lutful Haq (Prothom Alo), Mahbubur Rahman (Heritage Archives Bangladesh History / HABH) and Qamar Munir (Sustainable Development Networking Foundation / SDNF) about establishment of MoU between SDNF – HABH to convert archival materials of HABH into digital accessible format and starting inventory of available materials in private hands about Bangladesh Liberation War 1971
2. Participation in the International Conference on Rohingya Crisis in Bangladesh (UNHCR – North South University) and discussing the development of a project under SDG 4 / 16 about awareness and quality education on this crisis between NSU – BARMS – UvA – Commeet (establishing MoU) – with Katherine Li and Sharif uddin Ahmed
3. Community Development Agenda in Balagram Union / cluster village: project initiation towards road embankment to Bluebell School and plastic recycling as priorities of the community.
4. Skype Connection with the international Commeet community: Vasiliki Kiupi (Greece / London), Ali Bukar Ahmad (Nigeria) and Rabiul Islam (Bangladesh) to exchange views on everyones local projects on Technical and Vocational Training (TVET ) and exploring further international cooperation towards the future; idea is to organize a conference in Bangladesh on TVET at the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) as a first step;
5. Visits to Dutch Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DBCCI) and Yunus Center on entrepreneurship and business cooperation in the projects;
6. Meeting twice with Mahmudul Hasan Khusru (Dataford ltd. and Robo2mation) and Md. Imrul Hasan (amarroom.com) on digital cooperation
7. Barms EC meeting with special focus on Joan van Albada Fund – possibilities for students to get archival training abroad
8. Meeting prof Selina Nargis, IUBAT board member, on training and cooperation with Zuyd Academy

The Chairperson Professor Sharif uddin Ahmed welcomed the members and guests at the meeting and requested Mr. Jalal Ahmed , General Secretary of BARMS, to start the proceedings of the meeting according to Agenda. Mr. Jalal Ahmed read out the last meeting’s proceedings which were then duly confirmed.

Some matters arose out of the proceedings particularly the matter related to  fund raising. It was emphasized that the members could make their individual contribution and the Society should endeavor submitting projects as well as seeking funds under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. It was also resolved that the President should write to the Chairmen of the Department of History and ISLM Department of Dhaka University to nominate candidates for the Dutch Scholarship (Joan van Albada Fund) for the study of archives management.

With regard to the holding of the Biennial General Meeting and the special seminar it was resolved that the Biennial and the Special Seminar be held on 16th November 2019 at the Bangladesh National Museum.

With reference to the holding of a special seminar on Bank’s Records Management it was resolved that contact should be made with various authorities both for holding the seminar and raising funds. Mr. Al Amin, researcher of the Agrani Bank, said that he will get in touch with the Agrani Bank for financial assistance. The Committee also heard from Mr. Al Amin about the initiative taken by the Agrani Bank in writing a history of the Bank and setting up an Archive of their records. The Committee resolved to congratulate the Bank on taking such noble steps.

It was also resolved that the honorable Governor of the State Bank of Bangladesh will be invited to be present as the Chief Guest. The Secretary of the Finance Ministry (Bank Division), President of Bankers’ Association and the Managing Director, Agrani Bank and Director General of NAB be invited as Special Guests at the seminar.

Mr. Al Amin would present the Key Note Paper on the “Present State of Banks’ Records Management in Bangladesh and the Future Prospects “. ( BANGLADESHE BANK SAMUHER BARTAMAN RECORD MANAGEMENT ABONG BHAVISTAT BHAVNA). Mr. Jalal Ahmed and Mr. Delwar Hassan would be the discussants on the Paper.

A Souvenir would be published on the occasion of the Biennial Meeting and the Special Seminar for publishing articles as well as raising funds. Professor Sharif Uddin Ahmed and Mr. Ali Akbar will be responsible for the publication of the souvenir. Advertisement should be collected for the souvenir.

The Chairperson Professor Sharif reported that recently on September 4, a skype conference was held with the representatives of North South University, University of Amsterdam, BARMS Bangladesh and Netherlands over the issue of the Rohingyas as displaced community and collecting and preserving records and documents regarding them with a view to setting up of an Archives with such records. It was resolved that a Memory of Understanding (=MoU) would be soon signed with regard to the subject among the interested parties. The members present agreed that this was a good initiative and resolved that BARMS Bangladesh should be involved into it.

With reference to an office and a part time officer of the Society Mr. Al Amin said that he would look into the matter and report soon. Mr. Delwar Hassan would also look into the matter.

The Committee also resolved to congratulate Mr. Ali Akbar one of the officials of BARMS with his promotion.

The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be held on Tuesday 24 September 2019, 3 PM at the office of the General Secretary Mr. Jalal Ahmed at Skills for Employment Investment Programme (SEIP), Finance Division, Ministry of Finance, Probashi Kallyan Bhayan, 71 – 72 Old Elephant Road, Eskaton Garden. Agenda 24 September:

1. Confirmation of the proceedings of the last meeting 13 september 2019 ( a copy of the minutes is attached herewith )
2. Holding of biennial  meeting
3. Holding of the Special seminar Banks’ Records Management and their future prospect
4. Fund Raising
5. Miscellaneous

There being no other agenda the meeting ended with a vote of thanks from and to the Chair.

Celebration of International Archives Day 2019 got underway in the building and surroundings of the National Archives of Bangladesh in Agargaon Dhaka 9 June. Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Md. Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal started the rally together with director Dilip Kumar Saha of the National Archives and Library. Meeting and rally was in cooperation with Bangladesh Archives and Records Management Society under professor Sharif uddin Ahmed. Some impressions of the succesful rally and meetings:

Impressions of our trainingprogramme @Shilpakhala Academy Bangladesh on 11 February 2019. We delivered a training on Right to Information and Right to records to staffs of the Academy.

Discussing the impact of the Right to Information Act (2009) and how it boosts better archives management in an institution like Shilpakhala Academy.

Florus Geraedts, Sigfried Janzing, Elias Kanchon and Shahedul Chowdhury of BARMS and BARM Netherlands, were invited to deliver a speech for the staffs of the Academy by Hasan Mahmud, Public Relations Officer of the Academy, also Right to Information officer responsible for the execution of the Act in the Institution.

Actually the effect of the RTI Act is a transition from secrecy to openness, the citizens of the country getting legally enforceable right to obtain FULL and ACCURATE information about actions and decisions of government institutions, as such also from the Academy.

So good record keeping has become an essential business activity for any institution.

It takes time to bring this into practice but our meeting shows the commitment of officers, managers and staffs of Shilpakala Academy to make it their daily practice! Next steps in archives are expected and we deliver our continuous support to this development at the Academy!

From 4 – 6 February our BARMS team: Elias Kanchon, Shahed Chowdhury, Florus Geraedts and Sigfried Janzing visited Rajshahi. We had a busy programme consisting of:

1. Archives Training at Desktop IT specifically for staffs of Rajshahi City Corporation and local entrepreneurs. Focus was on the whole proces of the archives chain from capture, use as enterprise information, disposal and making available as public information. Trainees all got a certificate.

2. Discussion with Mayor Kairuzzaman Liton about establishment of the Library, Archive and Museum at Boro Kuti building. We gave mayor advice about next steps and support.

3. Training as above to staffs of BPA and discussion with police officiers.

4. Our yearly visit to Hertitage Archives Bangladesh History at Kazla Gate. This resource centre, established by prof. Mahbubur Rahman and run by enthousiastic volunteers like mr. Moonlight, is a succesful centre for research. We discussed with Mahbubur Rahman about future support and possible connection with International Institute of Social History in the Netherlands and Mahabub searching funding from FIDA of the International Council of Archives (ICA).

After a visit to former professor of Bothany of Rajshahi University, Ibn Golam Samat, we took the train to Nilphamari on 7 February for our next programme in Jaldhaka Upazila, Balagram Union.

Visit was twofold:

1. Zia Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute (ZHF), Dinajpur

Advice to staffs of Record Room of ZHF how to manage archives and especially patients records. Discussion was with archivist mrs. Kurshida, who is responsible for the archives of ZHF since 2008. Some impressions of the visit to the record room:

2. Archives awareness training @Dinajpur Government Mohila College (Women’s college) and Dinajpur Government City College (Boys and girls)

At Mohilla college 500 girls participated in the awareness training and at City College 400 boys and girls. Again some impressions:

The first important outcome of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on 3 November between Bangladesh Archives and Records Management Society (BARMS), DataFort Ltd. and BARM Netherlands was a visit on 1 December to InfoFort Savar. In response to the invitation of InfoFort director & CEO Mr. M.H. Khusru, Bangladesh Archives and Records Management Society (BARMS) organized a programme fort his occasion.

Delegates from BARMS, National Archives of Bangladesh (NAB), National Library of Bangladesh (NLB), ICDDR,B, North South University, Prothom Alo, historians and journalists travelled to InfoFort in Savar on the first day of December. Among them were Professor Dr. Sharif Uddin Ahmed, President of BARMS, Mr Jalal Ahmed, additional Government Secretary of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and General Secretary of BARMS, Dr. Md. Nazim Uddin, Senior Manager at LISU  at ICDDR,B, Dr. Md. Zahid Hossain Shoeb, University Librarian of NSU, Mrs. Tahmina Akter, Deputy Director of National Archives Bangladesh, Mr. Ali Akbar, senior archivist at National Archives, Mr A.K.M. Nurul Alam, Mr Burhan Uddin and Mr Elias Kanchon.

InfoFort is a leading Records and Information Management Solution Provider in the Middle East and Africa offering services in United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. InfoFort started operations in Bangladesh in 2014. Its focus is the private sector archives in Bangladesh providing services to many leading companies. The Archives has been built in the most modern and scientific way.

Mr. Md. Showkat Hossain Chowdhury, head of business operations of InfoFort accompanied the group to visit the archives building. Mr. Chowdhury briefed the team about their work procedures and building structure. The group physically visited the archives and observed the modern structure of the archives. Mr. Chowdhury also briefed the group about the building being BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) certified, fire-proof, flood free and electric wire free. After the physical visit, a short presentation was given. In the discussion, the team advised InfoFort to set up a research wing to contribute the nation and for the development of archives.

On 25 of February  delegates from Bangladesh Archives and Records Management Society (BARMS), DataFort Ltd. (franchise of InfoFort), and Bangladesh Archives and Records Management Support Group Netherlands gathered in Uttara, Dhaka, to work out a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of archival education in Bangladesh. Present were: prof. Sharif uddin Ahmed, Md. Lutful Haque, Nazimuddin, Khusru, Elias kanchon, Florus Geraedts and Sigfried Janzing. In this way strengthening the existing relations and cooperation existing since 1995 between archivists and record managers from Bangladesh and The Netherlands to further development in the area of records management and archival education. As vision  delegates decided to:

Increase transparency and accountability for good governance (a) and access to meaningful historical data for archival research (b) in Bangladesh;

By educating Bangladeshi students, archives staffs and staffs in record rooms in archives and records management, in this way becoming professionals having in mind the ethical code of the International Council on Archives (ICA); 

For this to happen promote and implement education and training in archives and recods management (ARM) and promote efficient archiving with adaptation to repeated changes of technologies and increased information life cycle;

And thus bringing Bangladesh in a better position regarding ARM.

After 8 months of hard work by the partners on 3 November MoU was officialy signed at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum. A special Seminar on Archives in Bangladesh was organised by BARMS for this special event.

The press-report on the occasion in The Librarian Times:

“Former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan said that the government records should be preserved in multiple places. Because they could be required at any time. He said this while addressing a seminar organized by Bangladesh Archives and Records Management Society (BARMS) as the chief guest.

The seminar was held at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium, Bangladesh National Museum, Shahbagh, Dhaka titled ‘Archives in Bangladesh–Past Present Future’ on 3 November 2018.

Akbar Ali Khan also said that everyone needs to understand the requirements of the documentation. Everyone needs to know the necessity of this. While working in the World Bank – after the Twin Tower attack, the World Bank began to save all their records in the head office as well as in other states – he added.

The key-note paper titled ‘Record Management: Archives, Law and Education’ was presented by Professor Dr Mezbah-ul-Islam, former chairman of Department of Information and Library Management (ISLM), University of Dhaka (DU). Professor Dr Kazi Mostak Gausul Haque, Chairman of the same department, DU discussed on the key-note paper.

On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to establish educational institutions for the development of the country’s archives. BARMS, Infofort Limited (Dhaka) and Archives and Records Management – Netherlands signed on the MoU.

Dutch Archivist Florus Geraedts and Sigfried Janzing joined the MoU signing ceremony over Skype representing Netherlands.

Professor Dr Sharif Uddin Ahmed, President, BARMS presided over the signing ceremony and the seminar while Mr Jalal Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and General Secretary, BARMS gave a welcome speech. The Director General of the Directorate of Archives and Libraries Mr Dilip Kumar Saha and the Director General of Bangladesh National Museum Mr Muksodur Rahman Patwary also spoke as the Special Guests.

Around 120 people including ISLM students, MPhil and PhD researchers, library professionals were present in the seminar.”

Some impressions of the road to the MoU, 25 February – 3 November 2018:

InfoFort Savar

The working Group BARMS, InfoFort, BARM NL on 25 February:

Signature and Seminar, 3 November, National Museum Bangladesh: