‘Future Strategy Group’ a Dhaka based platform for knowledge professionals is going to debut their flagship ‘Idea Series’ with an event titled ‘Towards innovative Bangladesh’. The event, as organizers claim, is first of its kind and more events will follow in coming days on various topics that will contribute to shaping the nation’s future. At the eve of their first event we spoke to one of FSG’s founding members Mahmudul Kabir. Mr. Kabir himself is a consultant at International Finance Corporation and an active member of knowledge community that is spawning in Dhaka.
All of it started without any plan. One of FSG members came up with a proposal of running an idea session. Back then we have no particular session design, format, or anything in mind. We primarily sit together and talked about various issues that interest us and audience as well. And then we decided to do it in a more public setup so that more people can get involve and engage and contribute.
We always talk about loads of issues. Over a cup of tea discussion seldom wants to end. But it often does not generate any conceivable solution to problems that frustrates us. Sometime we even come up with some brilliant ideas. Unfortunately it does not get communicated with policy makers or hit the right door. FSG wants to give voice to those ideas and help to find right place to happen.
Even in the middle pointless conversation some of us often come up with brilliant ideas, solution to a critical problem around us. Unfortunately that idea seldom gets communicated with right person or platform. We think this need to be fixed. FSG wants to be a bridge between ideas of a diversified community of knowledge workers and stakeholders who need those ideas to act.
Innovation is critical for development of any country. But it does not happen from nowhere. You need to plan, work and engage.
You might ask why we have chosen ‘Innovation’ as a topic for our first idea series session. Because we want to inspire conversation around this topic. We believe we need to talk about issues that have longer lasting impact and meaningful contribution to make. However, this is just the beginning and we will continue arranging events on many other issues.
Innovation does not happen in isolation. It requires a community. To foster innovation we need participation and engagement: participation from both public and private sector and engagement from stakeholders and community members. And this does not happen without effort.
At the beginning of session we’ll define the context and then we will propose how we can make progress and achieve what we want to achieve. We believe innovation requires community or cluster that attracts other innovators. We will, from FSG side, as well propose an innovation model for Bangladesh as well.
Innovation is not new thing for Bangladesh. We have a long standing history of home grown innovation and discoveries. However, with the resourcefulness we have we could easily take it to the next level.
This would be very unfair to say that there is no innovation going on in Bangladesh. Rather I would say we have made really significant mark on areas like lighting engineering sector, health care and so on. However, we think we could do it better.
This is going to be a great even for anyone who craves for mindful and in-depth discussion and who is in love with solution than that of problem. You can register for the event here and find details here.
