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Director/Producer: K.M. Taj-biul Hasan
Nearly about 1600 square kilometers of the North Eastern region of Bangladesh are wetlands locally known as "Cholon Beel." They are inundated by water eight to nine months a year making the inhabitants of this area are completely dependent on the mercy of the environment for survival. The only way locals can move around and communicate in the wet season is by boat. The short dry season allows for only one crop, so people have turned to fishing as their only source of income. Naturally, with such meager resources to be had, inhabitants live well below the poverty line. The children suffer the most with limited access to education. In 2002 the nonprofit organization Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha came forward with the innovative idea to educate the children of the impoverished area by using the natural events of these regions to create "Education on the Boat." Every day boats go to each house in the village to collect students and teach them on the boat. At the end of classes, the boats again go to every house to drop off the students.
K.M. Taj-biul Hasan holds bachelor's and master's degrees in zoology from the University of Dhaka and a diploma in photography and filmmaking. Upon completing his studies he embarked on a career as a cinematographer. He joined the media division of Bangladesh Open University (BOU) in 1994 as an educational program producer. Hasan has presented papers and conducted workshops in various international conferences and media forums. In 2007 he was awarded the prestigious UNESCO Japan prize for a TV documentary, Education on the Boat––Hope for Tomorrow.
K.M. Taj-biul Hasan |
©2010 United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) |
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