Dr M A Wazed Miah as a Pioneer of Nuclear Science and Research in Bangladesh

 

Dr M A Wazed Miah was a renowned nuclear scientist and physicist. He was overwhelmed with many traits, followed by versatile and prominent public figures. He completed his primary and ISC degrees from the outstanding educational institute of Rangpur. He completed his Bachelor of Science at the Department of Physics, the University of Dhaka, in 1961. Later, he completed his Master of Science in 1962.

He accomplished his Imperial College London Course Diploma in 1963-64. Finally, he obtained his Ph.D degree in Physics from Durham University, England. He worked under the supervision of Professor E. J. Squires, where his thesis was on 'the Bootstrap Hypothesis in Theoretical Particle Physics."

Dr M A Wazed Miah was born on February 16, 1942, into a respectable Muslim Family in Rangpur. He was the youngest son of four sons and three daughters of Late Abdul Quader Miah and Late Mrs. Moyajunnesa. His family members are also contributing to the social and political sectors of Bangladesh.

He was also an active political activist during his academic life in Dhaka. He joined the Chhatra League in 1961. He was the Vice President of the Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall Unit of the East Pakistan Muslim Chhatra League in Dhaka. The first time he met with the Father of the Nation and Friend of Bengal, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was on February 02, 1962. He was arrested for leading the procession and protest against the Field Marshal General Mohammad Ayub Khan Regime, Pakistan's first military dictator.

Dr M A Wazed Miah was also known as "Sudha Miah" to his family members. After completing education and Ph. D degree, he married Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on November 17, 1967. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman welcomed the newlyweds in front of jail gate and presented a Rolex Watch to his son-in-law as a gift after the marriage day.They have been blessed with a son and a daughter, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, respectively. Sajeeb Wazed Joy is the Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser. Saima Wazed Putul is an autism expert and vice-chairperson of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI). After the 15th August incident, 1975, Dr M A Wazed Miah played a supportive and careful role for his family members during the exile period. He tackled the situation with patience and bravery in his forty years of marital life.

Dr M A Wazed Miah was also a well-known writer and researcher for his works. He has eight (8) publications in the sciences, politics, and social sciences. His writings are mainly published in national and international journals. The University Press Limited published his two Bangla books, namely 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibke Gheere Kichu Ghatona o Bangladesh' and 'Bangladesher Rajneeti o Sarkarer Chalchitra.' According to national and international scholars, his two publications, followed by Fundamentals of Electromagnetics (1982) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (1988), are notable works. Dr. Wazed wrote Fundamentals of Thermodynamics for Physics, Applied Physics, Chemistry, and Engineer students. It has 600 (six hundred) pages. His publications are masterpieces for the researchers, writers, and apprentices of the respective fields.

Dr M A Wazed Miah attended numerous national and international conferences to contribute his thoughts on sciences and research. The International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, awarded him an associateship in 1969. Therefore, he was actively involved in research every six months in 1969, 1973, and 1983. He was also a postdoctoral fellow at Daresbury Nuclear Laboratory, Washington DC, USA, from November 1969 to October 1970.

Dr M A Wazed Miah passed away in Dhaka on May 09, 2009. His graveyard is located at Laldighee Fatehpur village in Pirganj Upazila in Rangpur. People from all of life often visit the place and pay homage to his cemetery to respect his memories. Social, political, and educational institutes have organized different events and prayers to commemorate his sacrifices and memories in otherplaces of the country.

Bangladesh has been trying to ensure its nuclear energy security over the decades. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman undertook the first effort at the Rooppur Nuclear Plant. The government has already accelerated the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Plant Project in Pabna.

This project was inaugurated in 1961. Dr M A Wazed Miah initiated the Rooppur Nuclear Plant Project to implement it in 1997. His dream comes true as the Rooppur nuclear power plant is under processing.He did the groundwork of this project.

Some educational institutes have already established some research institutes in his name. Jahangirnagar University founded the Wazed Miah Science Research Center on May 30, 2009. However, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur established Dr. Wazed Research and Training Institute in 2009. National and foreign research fellows are doing their particular research by being admitted into the institutes. Therefore, the respective authorities should allocate more funds to science-based projects and research institutions to implement his dreams and address other societal challenges.


Md Habibur Rahman is a writer and columnist. He is also an author and co-author of some book chapters of the national and international book (Springer) and journals.