Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (BAS) and Inter Academy Partnership (IAP) jointly organized the “Women Scientists Mentor-Mentees Program” on 29 October, 2016 at the auditorium of National Museum of Science and Technology, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207. Two faculty members Ms. Jebunnesa Chowdhury, and Ms. Romana Siddique of the MNS Department, attended the program. Challenges of the women scientists were discussed in the program.
In the first part of this program four mentors from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal made presentations on the status of the young women scientists and the social constrains in their higher education. In the second part of the program young Bangladeshi scientists were divided into four groups. Ms. Chowdhury and Ms. Siddique took part in the group discussion where they discussed the topic “Balancing family life and profession”. In an hour long discussion they provided important recommendations like, age of young scientist should be increased to 40 years from the present 35 years and arrangements for day care facilities for the babies of young professionals should be made.