Rotarian Julie Reza has sent another “letter from Bangladesh” to tell us about Rotary activities that she’s been involved with while she holidays in the country – this time attending a meeting i which the speaker was an award-winning astrophotographer. Coincidentally, it turns out that Julie already knew him!
Rotarian Julie Reza has sent another letter while on holiday in Bangladesh to go with the one she’s sent before (here). It’s been interesting to know what she’s been up to:
“You know how everyone always comments on how ‘it’s a small world’? Well, it proved to be true in more ways than one when I attended a recent meeting at the Rotary Club of Dhaka. Like many Rotary Clubs in the UK, the Dhaka club also has regular guest speakers. I’d heard the speaker was to be an award-winning astrophotography hobbyist, Muneem Rana, whose pictures have been featured in Bangladeshi newspapers and on TV. It was only when he showed one of his most famous shots that I realized I already knew him through a photography group that I moderate – we’d often commented on each other’s pictures!
It turns out that photography is not Muneem’s only hobby. Always science-minded, Muneem, who was raised in Dhaka, built his first radio as a child in 1973. He later played an active role in opening up amateur radio in Bangladesh, serving at one time as the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Amateur Radio League.
Muneem studied at the Physics Department of Dhaka University and, in 1988, he and three friends formed the first computer assembly and UPS manufacturing company in the country. He currently works on laser testing in Texas,
Muneem started landscape photography as a hobby in 2019 and began to take an interest in solar photography during the COVID-19 pandemic, when ‘nature was pretty much returning to the way it used to be.’
During his talk, Muneem gave us a rundown of his equipment and an outline of the methods he uses to take pictures, including the process of post-production. At one point, he shared a video showing how he sets up his shots. He described the sun’s layers, explained some of the physics behind his shots, and also reminded us that our galaxy contains millions of suns! He shared one superb picture of the sun’s corona during an eclipse. But the picture that caught my attention the most was of a sunspot and solar flares. I’m a biomedical scientist by training and was struck by how similar the image was to scanning electron micrographs of a human egg. So, as I said in my opener, it really is a small world!
On a totally separate note, after the meeting, I caught up with one of the Dhaka Rotarians who had just returned from a “recce” to Bhola Island as part of the Dhaka club’s collaboration with the Australian charity Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) to provide sleeping kits to underprivileged youngsters. We’ve supported the distribution of hygiene kits before, and it was fascinating to learn about the logistics and challenges involved in a similar project.
Around three months ago, SCAW approached the Dhaka club with details of the number of children they wished to support with their funding. The charity provides funds for the kits, but the costs of logistics, such as truck and manpower hire, are covered by the Dhaka club and other local and international donors. The final number of children that can be helped depends on the Dhaka club’s capacity and other practicalities, such as transport and access, the political situation, the weather, etc. The club then selects a project team and appoints a project chair. Each team consists of around 15-18 Rotarians and is split into two groups – one group is responsible for procurement and the other for distribution. The former sends out tenders for the supply of the sleeping kit contents (though if possible they use known suppliers they’ve used before as they know those suppliers can be relied upon).
The club generally decides which side of the country (which is low-lying and crossed by many rivers) they will work in – e.g., North, West, etc. However, recent floods led the club to select flood-affected regions for this year’s distribution. The team then focuses on specific areas and identifies local partners, such as local Rotary clubs and other influential, dependable groups. The kits are stored until use, free of charge, by a Dhaka Rotarian. (When the kits number in the thousands, this requires a LOT of space!)
Meanwhile, the distribution group conducts the recce. Working with the local partners, they identify where they will set up, where the youngsters will feed and change, and where they will be photographed, etc. The contents of the sleeping kits vary, but generally include a foam mat, a blanket, a pillow, a pillowcase, a bedsheet, a mosquito net, and a ‘personal’ kit (two sets of clothes for night and day, a raincoat, sandals, a school bag, a tiffin box, a water flask, and some soap and Vaseline). Youngsters are also given a meal. Usually, around $40 is spent per child, but lately, the exchange rate has worked in the club’s favour, allowing the club to help more children.
Youngsters are identified by the local teams and Rotarians – for instance, teachers are usually able to identify which children are most in need. A final list with details of each child’s name, age, height, and mother’s occupation is compiled for the project team. The youngsters are then divided into two groups according to age: 6–9 years and 9–12 years before they receive their kits.
The recent recce – which I wasn’t able to attend due to other commitments – determined that the Dhaka club couldn’t help children on one of the more remote islands simply because of the lack of transport and road access. Instead, the project team will use the funds to help the families of tea pickers in the tea gardens.
If all goes well I hope to take part in a health camp soon – I’ll let you know how that goes in my next letter!”
Picture: The moment when Julie realised she already knew the speaker, Muneem Rana, from a photo group they both belong to! Picture credit: Muneem Rana (with kind permission)/Rotary Club of Canterbury.
