Abdullah
Al Muti Sharfuddin
Science
Writer, Educator and Administrator
January
1, 1930 - November 30, 1997
❑
Abdullah
Al-Muti Sharfuddin was born on 1 January 1930 in the village of Fulbari in
Sirajganj district. He obtained his M.Sc. in Physics from Dhaka University in
1953 and his MA in Education from the University of Chicago in the United
States in 1960 and his Ph.D. in 1982.
Al-Muti
Sharfuddin, a former secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology of the
Government of Bangladesh, began his career as a teacher in a government
college. He later served as the Director of the Teachers' Training Institute, Director
of Public Education (DPI), Counselor for Education and Culture at the
Bangladesh Embassy Abroad, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary and Secretary
at the Ministry of Education and Science. After retiring from the job, he was
the chief adviser to the ADB-UNDP-funded secondary science education project.
Al-Muti
Sharfuddin's contribution to the teaching of science in Bengali is outstanding.
He is a pioneer in popularizing science among children in this country. He has
published 26 books on science, environment and education. Notable books include
Science and Man, Science of the Age, Endangered Environment, Science-Quest,
Mystery of the Sea, Clouds, Rain, Sun, and the Crisis of the Environment.
For
his contribution in the field of science education and literature, he received
the Bangla Academy Literary Award, Independence Day Award, Ekushey Padak,
Shishu Academy Award, UNESCO Calling Award and Dr. Kudrat-i-Khuda won more than
a dozen awards, including a gold medal.
Al-Muti
Sharfuddin was the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Science published by
the Bangla Academy and was the editor of a children's magazine called Mukul. In
the middle of his working life, he was actively involved in various social
organizations including Sahitya Sangsad, Pragati Lekhak Sangha, Kendriya
Kachikanchar Mela, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Vigyan Sanskriti Parishad and
Human Development Foundation. He was a founding Fellow of the Islamic Academy
of Sciences; Fellow and President of Bangladesh Asiatic Society (1989-91). He is
also the President of the Bangla Academy (198-90), Vice-President of the
Foundation for Research on Planning and Development (1993), President of the
Bangladesh Association for Science Education (1989-95), and the International
Council of Associations for Science Education. It was an executive member
(1989-93) and a member of the International Scientific Council nominated by the
Director-General of UNESCO. Al-Muti Sharfuddin died on 30 November 1997 in
Dhaka. Prior to his death, he was the Chairman of the Project Implementation
Committee of the Asiatic Society's National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh Project.
[Sajahan Mia]
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