IPDC Finance’s Agraz: A candid chat with Dr Ainun Nishat

Agraz, an online event organised by IPDC Finance, showcases the journey of Bangladesh to becoming an independent nation. Hosted by Anis A Khan, advisor of Tyser Risk Management, Bangladesh, the event features stories of noted Bangladeshi personalities, their memories of the Liberation War, their ideas for Bangladesh, and their vision for the country's prosperous future.

The 24th episode of the series featured Dr Ainun Nishat, Water Resource and Climate Change specialist and Professor Emeritus of BRAC University. The programme aired on IPDC Finance's Facebook page on August 26, 2021.

 The environmentalist shared his journey on Agraz. "I started out from Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), where I worked for two years before moving to teach in Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET), Water Resources Engineering Department," says Ainun Nishat. "At first I taught hydrology and then river science and a lot of other water science subjects added to my teaching experience afterwards."

 "Almost every natural disaster is related to water," points out Dr Ainun Nishat. "While continuing with my teaching career, I started researching on correct and eco-friendly ways of water asset managing and preservation." After retiring from BUET, he joined the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a country representative, which led him to do much work with the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change of Bangladesh.

"Before I began my teaching life, I had been a member of the Indo-Bangladesh Joint River Commission for 18 years, starting from 1981 to 1999," recalls Dr Ainun Nishat. "I was also in the negotiation committee of the Ganges Treaty in 1996."

"Working with the ministry led me to work with climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)," smiles Dr Ainun Nishat. "SDGs were first introduced back in 1992, and back then, they were called Agenda 21, where I had the privilege of giving leadership on water-related discussions."

Later on, Dr Ainun Nishat represented Bangladesh at the UN Climate Change Conferences (CoP) as a key member of the Climate Change Negotiation Team. "Some might say that I change fast and frequently but it is just about broadening my horizon and every step of my journey is interrelated, leading me from one point to the other," says the environment specialist.

When asked about his childhood and schooling, Dr Ainun fondly recounts his experience with his father, Gazi Shamsur Rahman, the renowned lawyer, legal expert, writer, and TV personality of Bangladesh. "My father's job transferred around frequently and I would change schools and colleges just as frequently, going around from district to district," he says. "Then I enrolled in BUET and after finishing my engineering studies there, I re-enrolled back into BUET as a lecturer within 2 years."

 "I had spent 27 years in the BUET quarters," he smiles. "It could be said that my life was centred around BUET, but I had the opportunity to travel all around Bangladesh, which is a demand of the work I do."

Dr Ainun Nishat is currently researching the area of adaptation to climate change plans, which he would submit to the government. "This research is undergoing the orders of the government," shares the environmentalist.

"Regardless of profession, you would always be attracted to the first blossom of monsoon. Keep yourself active and keep broadening your knowledge," Dr Ainun Nishat adds.