:: Bangladesh :: National Node

On 19 December, 2008 a Preparatory Meeting on the Celebration of International Year of Astronomy-2009 in Bangladesh , was held at FREPD auditorium in Dhaka . In that meeting the Organizing Committee of IYA2009 Bangladesh has declared a Schedule to celebrate the IYA 2009 in a spectacular dimension throughout the country. Eminent Astronomers, Scientists and Educationists attended the Meeting and there were a wide discussion how to make the Celebration successful and effective for the student and the general people. Among others who were present in the discussion meeting are Dr. A. R Khan, President of Bangladesh Astronomical Society and the former Professor of Applied Physics Dept. Dhaka University, Mr. F. R. Sarker, General Secretary of Bangladesh Astronomical Society and the National Node for Bangladesh of IYA 2009 , Dr. Ali Asgar, former Head of Physics Dept. BUET, Mr. Munir Hasan, General Secretary of Bangladesh Math Olympiad and Bangladesh Open Source Network, Dr. Mubarak Ali Akand, former Director of Science Museum, Dr. Rezaur Rahman, former senior Scientist of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission etc.


From the most left: Mr. F R Sarker, Dr. A R Khan, Dr. Ali Asgar and Mr. Munir Hasan

In the Meeting it was decided that, on 1 st January, 2009 the Inauguration Ceremony of IYA2009 will be held at Enayetpur, a village which lies about 80 miles north-west of Dhaka. To create awareness about Astronomy and Space Science to the Students, Teachers and the general people in a real way the Committee has taken several Programs, viz, Sky Observation, Star Introducing in night sky, Seminar, Symposium in School and Colleges, Telescope Making, Astro-Olympiad, Books, Post Cards and Posters publication, Astro-Photograph and Video Exhibition etc. These activities will be conducted all over the year of 2009 in different places and School, Colleges of the country. The most important event will be held on 22 July'09 when the longest Solar Eclipse will be occurred and mid line of the Eclipse will pass over the North-West point of Bangladesh, the peak moment of Total Solar Eclipse will be clearly visible from Panchagarh, about 400 mile north-west of Dhaka. In 1609 Italian Astronomer Galileo Galilei had invented a Telescope and observed the Sun, Planets and Moons through it.


A Video presentation of International Year of Astronomy

IYA 2009 is a global Celebration program jointly initiated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and International Astronomical Union (IAU) which will be Celebrated in 2009 in commemoration of 400 Anniversary of Telescopic Observation made by Galileo Galilei in 1609. About 140 countries of the world are expected to participate in this Celebration and Bangladesh had been allowed as the 100 th Participating country in it.