BIO DATA of SYED MIZANUR RAHMAN alias RAJU AHMED

CONTACT
Flat no. 2/401, Eastern Ulania
2 Segun Bagicha, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
E-mail: treeraju@yahoo.com

PRESENT STATUS
Managing Director, TREE Foundation Ltd.
Volunteer Advisor: Durjoy Nari Shongho

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Behavioral and Social change using folk and electronic media considering dialogue and dialect.
Facilitating Participatory Workshop, Training and Research with hard to reach community including sex worker, transgender, drug users and so on.
Interpersonal communication, Interactive Theatre, Motivational Film, Audio-visual programs direction for local and national Advocacy Campaigns with various issues like; Basic Literacy, Economic Literacy, Health Literacy, HIV/AIDS, Drugs, Tobacco, Sexual abuse, Human Rights, Gender, Women Rights, Gender issue, Dowry, Child and Female Trafficking, Intolerance, Reproductive health and rights, Mother and Child Health, Abortion, Poverty, Good Governance and so on.
Creating locally expectable social marketing strategy by utilizing different folk forms and modern advertising roles.
Curriculum Development for community development including sex worker, transgender, drug users, poor people etc.
Facilitating production based workshop including scripting, performing and mobilizing community.
Group/Self-help group Formation with different community utilizing philosophy of togetherness from theatre and other means of performing art.
Utilizing Theatre for Research Education and Empowerment for Participatory Action Research (PAR)
Making Interactive Radio and TV program for broadcasting.
Introducing CSR issue widely towards development.
Utilizing social capital for sustainable development.

EDUCATION
Graduated from East Side Institute, NYC, USA on Short Term Social and Group Therapy(2006-7)
Diploma in Film Direction from National Ins. of Film and Fine Arts, INDIA(1997)
Masters in Drama from Rabindra Bharati University, INDIA(1995)
Masters in Economics of Jahangirnagar University, BANGLADESH(1992)
Hon’s in Economics of Jahangirnagar University, BANGLADESH(1990)

JOB EXPERIENCE
Has long been working on formal and non-formal education, health issues like HIV/AIDS, Democracy, tolerance, Poverty, drug addiction, adolescence, abortion and reproductive health, rape, violence against women, and racism to name some.
From June 1999 to November 2000, Audiovisual Officer, DNFE, Govt. of Bangladesh.
From February 1997 to May 1999, Creative Executive, Response Advertising Limited, Dhaka.
From 1992 to 1997, General Secretary, Jahangirnagar Theatre, Jahangirnagar University.

OTHER SERVICES: NATIONAL
Worked as a consultant at Royal Norwegian Embassy, Dhaka, under the project entitled “How Norwegian Development Co-operation in Culture with Bangladesh Can Contribute to Poverty Reduction.”
Worked as a consultant at Population Council, Dhaka, under a project on Reproductive Health. Developed curriculum for training and learning issues of reproductive health. Conducted training session with the instructors.
Worked as a consultant at UFHP/JSI, Dhaka, on the development of self-help group formation with sex workers (SWs). The project involved among others strengthening capacities and commitments of the SWs and the local organizations as well, and developing social infrastructure to encourage the SWs in gaining social identity and solidarity.
Worked as a Script writer in Responses advertising for documentary films, radio programs and TVC.
Worked as a consultant at ORBIS International-Bangladesh, to develop and design strategies for five-year activities in collaboration with Sandhani, Bangladesh.
Worked as a consultant at Save the Children USA, Dhaka for developing audio-visual materials on polio.
Worked as a consultant at CONCERN Bangladesh to develop a specialized curriculum for Sex Worker.
Working as a Volunteer-Partner of UNIC-Dhaka. The involvement includes observing UN international days in Bangladesh through different audio-visual materials as well as experimenting with traditional and innovative approaches to motivational programmes.
Worked as a Consultant (Communication Specialist) at ICDDR,B, Dhaka under IMCI (Integrated Management fro Child Illness) project.
Worked as team leader of Participatory Action Research (PAR) to develop a model village at Savar, Dhaka, implemented by TREE and funded by RIB. The hypothesis is to encourage and employ love relation and trust to strengthen local solidarity and resource as a way to community development and poverty reduction.
Working as a scriptwriter and Director of Radio advocacy program on good governance implemented by TREE and funded by ARDB, USAID.
Number of performance in BTV and Bangladesh Betar as an enlisted artist.
· Number of Drama written for BTV.
Team Leader of event management for Bangladesh Cricket Board (inaugural test cricket ceremony, Test cap award ceremony etc.).
Co-convener of the National AIDS conference 2003.
Team Leader of event management for United Nation Information Center (UNIC), Dhaka: WSSD Conference perspective Bangladesh, International Day of Peace and so on.
Team Leader of event management for HASAB (HIV/STD Alliance Bangladesh) on International Candle Light Memorial Day ceremony at National Press Club in association with UNFPA Bangladesh and FHI (Family Health International).
Advisor, sex worker organization ULKA Nari shangha and founder advisor Joy Nari Kallan Samitte, Faridpur brothel.
Project Appraisal Consultant, Danida, Dhaka.
Gender Trainer for Govt. officials, supported by UNFPA.
Script writer and director, Live drama campaign, MACH project, USAID.

OTHER SERVICES: INTERNATIONAL
BCC/IEC Consultant, International HIV/AIDS alliance (UK) for South East Asia including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia. Working population: Sex Worker, MSM, Transgender, IDUs and general mass.
Consultant, MDM Myanmar for developing IEC materials on health education.
Resource person for Earth Project, Vancouver, Canada from 2004 to 2006. Area of Activities: Using cultural tools for Social justice and Human rights.
Translator and facilitator, Open society Institute, USA
Workshop facilitator, APNSW Bangkok.
Community space facilitator at 8th ICAPP Colombo from August 15-24, 2007, UNDP HIV/AIDS group.

OUT COUNTRY VISIT
Visited India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia, South Korea, UAE, USA, Brazil, Zambia, Canada and Australia for academic, training and conference purposes.

INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE AND PRESENTATION
School of Margin: A Theatre based alternative schooling for marginalized community at 6th ICAAP, Melbourne, 2001
Interactive Video for Awareness (IVA) at Trading Cultural Conference, UK 2002. http://www.bftv.ac.uk/abstracts.htm#rahman

Paper entitled “How Theatre Can be Utilized for Research Education and Empowerment” at Synergy Art, Health and Design World Symposium, Sydney, 2003. http://www.placemaking.com.au/2003/synergy/syn_papers/TREE.html
Paper entitled “The way theatre is used for the benefit of sex workers in Bangladesh" at International Theatre of the Oppressed Organization, Netherlands.
Joining at the Global conference on gearing macroeconomic policies to reverse HIV/AIDS epidemic as a panelist was held in Brasilia, Brazil from 20-21, November 2006. http://www.undp-povertycentre.org/aids/eng/part.htm
Helping Durjoy Nari Shangho to receive Red Ribbon Award from United Nations.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
· Father’s Name: Syed Moazzom Hossain
Mother’s Name: Farida Alok
Date of Birth: 3 February 1970
Permanent Add: Village & Post: Chamari Fatepur, District: Tangail, Bangladesh.
Nationality: Bangladeshi

PROFILE
I am Syed Mizanur Rahman, though people around me like to call me Raju Ahmed. I was born on the 3rd of February 1970 at a remote village of Tangail, a district of Bangladesh. As a person comes from poverty and crucial socio-culture setup, can realize most of the development issues from my empathetic heart. Issues like poverty, Gender, Health, Governance, Tolerance etc. has been perceived by my life started from childhood. Even then I goes to institutional learning to pronounce number of good things and to drop CV for better work to reduce self-poverty and community as well, because my mother always helps me to feel psychological poverty as major cause of financial poverty. So, I started straggle to reduce psychological and financial poverty together.

While studying Economics at Jahangirnagar University, I developed a deep interest in theatre. I found it curious that despite its immense importance, Economics has remained simply a discipline to be studied and people have little or no exposure to it. On the other hand, getting involved with theatre and theatricality made me aware of a crucial gap between what is taught and what is applied, between intention and motivation in both motivational and institutional learning. When I discovered that theatre enjoys an upper edge in both entertaining and motivating, I started actively participating in theatre, both as an actor, director and event organizer with an intention to discover and associate motivational potential to educate people in issues related to economics and development. Along with staging some classics, I also produced performances on Drugs, Tobacco, HIV/AIDS etc. at the university campus and participated National Radio and Television programs as an enlisted artist. Then I did my second Masters in Drama (Direction) from Rabindra Bharati University, India and Diploma in film direction from National Institute of Film and Fine Arts (NIFFA), India.

On my return, I joined an ad firm as Executive Creative, and later Directorate of Non-formal Education as Audio-Visual Officer. While working there, I developed a strong sense of the importance and potential of electronic media as an effective means for social mobilization and marketing. And also, being a theatre person, I understood that electronic media, if planned wisely, can usefully be used for interaction and advocacy. These and many other jobs with NGOs have helped me develop my experience and perceptions about theatre and its potential as motivating factor, a case not cultivated properly as yet.

In 1999, I along with some dynamic young people established TREE, Theatre for Research Education and Empowerment. Our aim is to fully exploit the potential of theatre to disseminate information, ensure effective penetration, and leave the audience/participants confident enough to be active and empowered to meet their own problems.

Our focus has always been on minimizing gaps between pronunciation and perception through effective interaction and advocacy. The team secures an advantage of easily approaching and motivating the audience which not only leaves them informed but also motivated to share and continue with what is learnt. This motivational factor, that is, sharing what is learnt and continuing with development programs or activities are crucial for any successful development initiatives. We at TREE intend to work as inspiration to motivate people to go on with the process initiated. We have worked especially on HIV/AIDS, Drugs, Tobacco, Sexual abuse, Human Rights, Gender, Women Rights, Dowry, Child and Female Trafficking, Intolerance, Reproductive health, Polio, Child Health, Abortion, Poverty, Good Governance, Urban Care etc along with other social and health issues with the mass including the marginalized community (like sex worker, driver, labor etc.). With a group of community people, we have been working to form Self-Help group.

I wish to share my views and strategies with all concerned to be enriched.

Syed Mizanur Rahman
(alias Raju Ahmed)




References:
01. Dr. Abbas Bhuyia
Head, Behavioral Science
ICDDR’B, Mohakhali, Dhaka.
Phone :0088-2-8812914
Email: abbas@icddrb.org

02. Prof. Nurul Haque
Dept of Economics
Jahangirnagar University
Savar, Dhaka
Bangladesh
Phone: 0088-7708934(Res)