Bashir was born in Chattagram, but ended up moving to Dhaka when his father, who used to be a government official, got transferred here. His childhood in Dhaka was relatively simple. Having studied in Government Laboratory High School, Bashir developed an affinity towards academics and extra-curricular activities from a young age. He got associated with several clubs and eventually took up quizzing. Later when he shifted for his HSC to St Joseph Higher Secondary School, he got elected as Executive Members for several clubs, and also was made Prefect of Discipline.
“Those were the good old days,” reminisced Bashir.
Dreaming Big:
Initially, Bashir had planned on doing his undergraduate studies in USA, but that didn’t pan out the way he wanted it to. It was difficult to avail the kind of education he wanted in America, so he enrolled in the BBA program at North South University in 2007.
“In all honesty, my time at NSU molded me into the man I am right now,” said Bashir.
His faculties in NSU were unbelievably welcoming and spared no effort in guiding him to reach his full potential. In University, Bashir worked tooth and nail to keep his grades high and consistent. He engaged himself in club activities and used his time and experience (as president of YES – Young Entrepreneurs Society) to help his club grow. The memories and bonds that he created in those four years are truly invaluable to him.
After graduating from NSU, he went in for a lot of interviews for leading multinationals in Bangladesh and managed to land a Management Trainee position at Reckitt Benckiser. But he was unable to join because he had already been admitted to Aberystwyth University for his MSc in International Business.
Bashir returned to Bangladesh after his MSc and applied to both American International University – Bangladesh (AIUB) and East West University (EWU), subsequently joining EWU as a Lecturer in 2013. Later that year, he applied for a graduate teaching scholarship. Upon receiving the scholarship, he returned to UK, this time to complete his doctoral studies in Aberystwyth University. He was also teaching as a Part time Lecturer at that university. However, as his Ph.D. supervisor moved to the prestigious University of East Anglia, Bashir followed him over there. Bashir also had the opportunity to teach at the University of East Anglia.
Endeavoring For Better Things:
In the past, Bashir had written a number of articles which have been published in well-known journals.Additionally; he has presented his research in Istanbul University and University of South Florida, USA. He has also taught in several universities – both in Bangladesh and abroad.
“And I have loved every bit of it,” Bashir remarked.
Bashir met his wife during his doctoral studies. She is an Economics graduate from the University of Dhaka and is currently doing her Masters at University of Oxford. In the past, she has worked as a research associate in CPD and currently working as a lecturer in Dhaka University. Bashir and his wife are each other’s support system. They know each other’s weaknesses and constantly push each other to overcome them.
Moreover, Bashir started teaching in BRAC University as a Senior Lecturer in 2017, and he says that he thoroughly enjoyed the academic environment there. Again, he provided his support to the clubs and helped organize many business-oriented programs at BRAC University. Furthermore, he helped in the process of affiliating BRAC Univeristy to some renowned British universities. Despite leaving the institution, he still maintains contact with his beloved students who he misses dearly.
Reaching the Greatest Heights:
Currently, Bashir is working as the Director of MBA and EMBA Programs as well as International Affairs at the Canadian University of Bangladesh. Canadian University of Bangladesh was established in 2016, and since then, it has been continuously growing and garnering attention at a rapid rate. Bashir feels like his ideals are complementary to the mission and vision of Canadian University of Bangladesh and that he is contributing to the society at a much bigger scale from his current position.
In terms of international affairs, CUB – short for Canadian University of Bangladesh’s achievements are truly note-worthy. Canadian University of Bangladesh is the only University in Bangladesh to have strong ties with the Canadian government and the Canadian High Commission. It has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Texas Tech University and has affiliations with several universities in Malaysia and UK. CUB will also be the first university in Bangladesh to sign the Student Partnership Program. Global connectivity, in Bashir’s opinion, has become very important in today’s world and Canadian University of Bangladesh is converging all its effort into expanding its reach further than it already has.
According to Bashir, teaching has now been reduced to a method of simply earning a living – but it is so much more. By sharing their knowledge, teachers motivate and influence an entire generation of people. Therefore, this profession must not be taken lightly. However, the role of management in the success of a university cannot be underestimated. An effective management should be cooperative and welcoming of opinions and ideas. It should be adaptive.
“Faculties should teach not just for the sake of teaching, but actually be passionate about the occupation,” said Bashir.
Bashir is immensely proud of how far Canadian University of Bangladesh has come so far, and he hopes that he will be here to witness it grow bigger and more prosperous. However, no one truly knows what the future holds. The one that Bashir is sure about is that wherever he may end up, he will always stick to academia. The Prestige team wishes all the luck in the world to MD Mamoon Al Bashir for all his upcoming endeavors.
