Feature

10 Days in Manikganj

Tahsin Hassan Bini

LFE (Live-in-Field Experience) is an academic course of Independent University Bangladesh (IUB). Every student must complete this course in order to fulfill all requirements for graduation. This course usually takes place for ten days during the semester break. The LFE programme is held at Manikganj, Bogra, Sylhet and Comilla. This year sixty students completed LFE in Manikganj Proshikha. There were twelve groups altogether. We began our journey on 17 May. We were surprised to find out that our faculty supervisors were from the Environment Department. We carried out our first assignment on 18 May that included the village mapping activity. On 19 May we worked on our other assignment regarding social change. Unfortunately all our faculty supervisors were disappointed with our presentation. The majority of the students started to dislike the student monitors and faculties. Hence, we took the next part as a big challenge. That was the assignment on health. Every group performed well in this section. We completed our formal programme on 21 May with the assignment on marketing. That morning we were free. Our faculty supervisors started to be friendly with us and we also reciprocated. We realised that we had previously misunderstood our faculty supervisors. They spoke with the individual members of each group and solved their problems.

I believe IUB is the only university that offers this kind of course. I feel proud to be an IUBian. In LFE, all students regardless of social background have to live together and eat the same food. We learned to face every problem as a unit. LFE taught us to boldly face all kinds of situations. We also learned never to judge anyone without properly knowing him or her. In Proshika Mr Arif was a very popular peron and he was a source of great fun. I thank our entire group because of our hard work. Our monitors Rajdeep Roy, Imran and Jennifer helped us a lot. So did our faculty supervisors Mr Naim, Mr Rafael and Mr Ripon. They guided us like parents and guardians. Our final presentation was on 26 May. After that we arranged for a Bar-B-Q and DJ party. We enjoyed a lot and forgot all our tiredness and sorrows. The best thing was that we had no rules and regulations on the last day. On 27 May we started for Dhaka. All of us were excited but we felt that something was missing from our heart.

Thank you IUB for arranging LFE. I have realised that we can overcome adversities in life. I have came to know myself better by participating in LFE. For that I am thankful to the programme.

(Student of Media and Communication Independent University, Bangladesh.)