Category: Maryland

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) at North South University (NSU) hosted an impactful webinar titled “Hierarchy and Human Rights”, bringing together a diverse group of academics, students, legal experts, and researchers for a critical discussion on the racial and structural inequalities embedded in global human rights discourse.

The event, held virtually on Thursday, May 29, featured distinguished guest speakers Professor Nathan Patz, from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, and Professor Matiang’i Sirleaf, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The session was moderated by Dr. Cynthia McKeney, Assistant Professor and Director of the Office of External Affairs at NSU.

In his opening remarks, Professor Md. Rizwanul Islam, Dean of SHSS and Professor of Law at NSU, addressed how human rights frameworks have often been co-opted to reinforce national hierarchies, glorifying some while marginalizing others.

Professor Sirleaf delivered a compelling critique of conventional human rights scholarship, arguing that it frequently excludes the fundamental rights claims of Black communities. She highlighted how the dominant “master narrative” sustains white supremacist ideologies and marginalizes the historical and contemporary struggles of Black people. She called for a comprehensive re-evaluation of the human rights paradigm to make it genuinely inclusive and universal.

The interactive Q&A session allowed students and faculty to engage directly with Professor Sirleaf on topics surrounding racial justice and dignity. She emphasized that true eradication of racism requires the full recognition of Black dignity and historical agency.

The webinar underscored the urgent need to decolonize human rights thinking and to address embedded racial biases in global legal and academic frameworks.

Study in Maryland from Bangladesh: 🎓 University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)

• Established: 1807
• Location: Downtown Baltimore, Maryland
• Academic Focus: Primarily graduate and professional education in health and legal fields. UMB comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the U.S., including:
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Law
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Pharmacy
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Social Work
• Student Body: Approximately 898 undergraduates and 6,239 postgraduates
• Campus: Urban setting covering 71 acres
• Research: In 2019, UMB and UMD College Park jointly spent $1.1 billion on research and development, ranking 14th nationally.

How do I apply to UMB?
To apply at University of Maryland, Baltimore, click on the links below to visit each school’s admission pages: https://www.umaryland.edu/ois/prospective-students/admission-information

North South University held a seminar titled ‘Nanotechnology: Small Things Matter and Have the Power to Transform Energy, Health, and the Environment’ to advance scientific research and innovation. The keynote speaker, Dr. Jamal Uddin, founder of the Center for Nanotechnology and professor at Coppin State University, highlighted the potential of nanotechnology in transforming fields such as medicine, industry, environment and health. The corona vaccine was developed in just 6 to 9 months, demonstrating the rapid advancement of nanotechnology.

The seminar was chaired by Professor Dr. Mohammad Hossain Shariar, Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at North South University. The seminar also included a memorandum of understanding signed between North South University and Coppin State University, committing to mutual cooperation to improve education quality. A plan has been made to build a nanotechnology institute at North South University.

East West University (EWU) hosted a public lecture on ‘World Trade and Bangladesh’ on 17 December 2024. Addressing the lecture, renowned economist and former professor at Morgan State University in the US, MG Quibria, emphasized the need for Bangladesh to diversify its export markets beyond Europe and the USA, focusing on neighboring countries like China and India.

He highlighted the importance of investing in health and education to develop skilled human resources and urged the government to address critical issues like oil, gas, and electricity shortages.

Quibria said increased trade restrictions are leading to disrupted supply chains and fragmentation of global trade into US-leaning and China-leaning blocs.

An analysis by the International Monetary Fund suggests that global economies have virtually become separated into three blocs: the west-leaning bloc, the China-leaning bloc, and a tiny non-aligned bloc.

Pointing to how trade between two of these major blocs has fallen significantly, he said the non-aligned countries like Mexico and Vietnam, which are also called “connector countries,” have stabilized global trade from falling precipitously.

“These developments may create a very vulnerable position for a small, trade-dependent country like Bangladesh, which has very little say in international discourse,” he said.

“All the discussions are taking place between feuding parties outside the UN or WTO,” Quibria added.

Shams Rahman, vice chancellor of EWU, also spoke at the lecture.