Dhaka Institute of Cultural Affairs - Bangladesh

ICA Bangladesh

ICA Bangladesh has been registered as Dhaka Institute of Cultural Affairs with the Government of Bangladesh since 2004. Its registration status is stated below:

Reg. No. 2488, NGOAB, GoB (http://www.ngoab.gov.bd/Files/NGO_LIST.pdf); S-3816 (605), RJSC, GoB (www. roc.gov.bd)

ICA Bangladesh is a statutory member of ICA International which has Special Consultative Status the United Nations ECOSOC, Liaison Status with FAO, Working Relation Status with the WHO & NGO Consultative Group for the IFAD)

ICA Bangladesh was founded in 2002 by a young Bangladeshi named Azizur Rahman who was then studying in Germany and came to know about the potentials of ICA methods and work for Bangladesh from the then Vice President of ICA International Tatwa P. Timsina. Mr. Rahman  

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graduated with honors and masters in sociology from Bangladesh and later did an international MS in regional development planning and management from Germany and the Philippines. Later he did another Master’s in criminology from the University of Toronto and currently pursuing his doctoral program in criminology at the University of Ottawa. He is by profession a public university professor voluntarily serving the ICA Bangladesh even now while he is out of the country side by side his study abroad. ICA Bangladesh team comprises mostly a young group of faculties and graduates of universities from relevant fields including sociology, planning, social work, economics, public administration, accounting and arts who are dedicated and committed to ICA work and drive for changing the lives of people focusing human factor in development. ICA Bangladesh has been implementing several projects, ranging from emergent support for disaster victims to long-term projects involving many people from different fields of profession.

What is ICA?

ICA is the acronym for Institute of Cultural Affairs. In the phrase ‘cultural affairs’, culture refers to the images, patterns and shared understandings that allow people to do something together. It is ICA’s belief that a group’s cultural dynamics must be considered in order to build any sustainable pattern of change or development. At the heart of ICA’s work is the conviction that long-term, sustainable development happens only when people grasp the significance of their own lives in the larger scheme of things and when they actively participate in the changes taking place around them instead of merely being targets of that change.

ICA International

ICA is a global organization concerned with human factor in world development. Since its inception in 1954, ICA has been given emphasis on strengthening of civil society globally. It has by this time been emerged as the leading HRD (Human Resource Development) organization worldwide. It has been working for 45 years in more than 35 countries building human capacities through participatory training and facilitation activities and setting up community development programs (www.ica-international.org).

The Institute of Cultural Affairs International (ICAI) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1977 to support the human development work of a growing number of national ICA organizations around the world. ICAI recently relocated from Brussels to Montreal.

The ICA mission is achieved using a unique, participatory approach to sustainable development. We enable local communities to define and plan their own development, and to tackle the interrelated political, economic and social causes of a given challenge. Programs are created and implemented using well-established methods that ensure the full and meaningful participation of community members.

ICAI is comprised of autonomous, national organizations located in over thirty countries. Each national ICA is locally led and governed, and undertakes human development programs that address the needs of the communities they serve.

ICAI member organizations are presently located in: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Cameroon, Chile, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Statutory Membership of ICA International



Dhaka ICA has been awarded the status of statutory membership of Institute of Cultural Affairs International (ICAI) in its General Assembly held on 4-9 May 2006 in Toronto, Canada. ICAI is a network of national autonomous organizations concerned with the human factor in development. It has now 30 national members all over the globe. Dhaka ICA is one of the newest members of ICAI headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

First Asia Pacific Regional Conference



Dhaka ICA hosted the First Regional Asia Pacific ICA Conference in Dhaka. The two-day conference was held on 2-3 December at the Center of Excellence, University of Dhaka with the presence of thirty participants representing seven countries in the region including Australia, India, Japan, Nepal, Taiwan and ICA International, Canada. Dhaka ICA has also got much appreciation for hosting the Second Sub-Continental Conference in 4-5 October 2005 at the National Institute of Local Government (NILG) in Dhaka, which was attended by thirty five participants from India, Nepal, Australia and Bangladesh and Fourth Sub-Continental Meeting in 5-6 December 2007 in Dhaka having 7 ICAs in the Aisa Pacific.

Overseas Volunteers in Bangladesh



For Dhaka ICA, the year 2007 and 2008 is a big achievement as it welcomes a number of foreign volunteers in Bangladesh who visited its projects, facilitated capacity building trainings and discovered Bangladesh. ICA International President Nelson Stover and ICA USA Director Elaine Stover visited Bangladesh in February 2007. They inspected Dhaka ICA’s Ghoramara Human Development Project in Chandpur on 13 February. They along with Shubhnarain Singh from India volunteered two capacity building courses – Methods of Effective Participation on 11-12 February 2007 and Effective Living on 13-17 February 2007 at NILG, Agargaon, Dhaka.

Two Australian volunteers – Maria Maguire and Richard Maguire visited Bangladesh twice in the year 2007. They first volunteered two capacity-building training courses – Group Facilitation Methods (3-4 March 2007) and participatory Strategic Planning (8-9 March 2008) at Pacific Inn Hotel, Banani, Dhaka. They also facilitated Dhaka ICA team in preparing the second strategic plan (2007-2009) based on the first strategic plan (2006-2008). The first strategic plan was facilitated by ICA International President Tatwa P Timsina from Nepal, Robyn and John Hutchinson from Australia facilitated in October 2005 in Dhaka. In December 2007, they facilitated the revision of the Second Strategic Plan following their participation in the First Asia Pacific Regional Conference. They also assisted us in developing training and facilitation manuals in both English and Bangla.

Richard and Maria Magiure from Australia, Shankar Jadhab from India and Sarah Farina from Canada visited ICA Ghoramara Human Development Project in Chandpur on 7 December 2007. Tatwa P Timsina who is the first mentor of Dhaka ICA first visited Bangladesh team in 2002 and volunteered a training course on Facilitation Skills and Program Management during 17-21 October 2002 at Chandpur Law College for 20 NGO executives.

Lawrence Philbrook visited Bangladesh twice and volunteered three two capacity building training courses – Leadership Development in Organizations along with Evelyn Philbrook (29-30 November 2007), Facilitating Strategic Processes (18-19 March 2008). Tatwa P Timsina and Shankar Jadhav volunteered one course on Community Development Approaches, Proposal Writing and Fundraising (4-6 Decemebr 2007). Maria and Richard are coming again for a month in December 2008 and Lawrence and Evelyn Philbrook in January 2009. During their stay with us, they will facilitate some training and planning courses.

Website and Bay Waves



Dhaka ICA launched its official website in 2006. One of founding members – Mohammad Habibur Rahman volunteered the development of the website (www.ica-bangladesh.org) which is also linked to ICAI website (www.ica-inernational.org). Through this website, Dhaka ICA is disseminating information about programs and activities, training, facilitation, advocacy and community development.

The official newsletter of Dhaka ICA – Bay Waves is being published for last three years. The first issue was inaugurated on 29 September 2005 by Bangladesh University Grants Commission Member Professor Dr. M Mahbub Ullah at NILG, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

International Leadership in Human Development Training in Canada



ICA International organized the 6-week long international training program on leadership in human development. Mohammad Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh attended the the training held during 26 May-04 July 2008. He could grasp both theories and practice in Technology of Participation (ToP), organizational management and leadership. In the first week, Jo Nelson was the lead facilitator. First week in Montreal focused on ToP skills and the history, philosophy and approaches of ICA. This week swampy gravy – story-telling two facilitators taught tool from USA. Apart from GFM, PSP, Jo introduced social process triangles, frame working. Three weeks were spent in New Brunswick, more than 800km away from Montreal. The second and third week was designed for sustainability tools and practice workshop. This week, the participants learned the concept of sustainability, measurable indicators of sustainability and sustainability platform.

ICA International Office Launching, Human Development Gallery and Lecture Series



On 25 June, the formal inauguration of the ICA International Secretariat and National ICA Staffs were invited to attend the event. The date was fixed keeping the gathering of different national ICA staffs in mind, audience asked questions to national ICA staffs. Aziz shared about ICA activities in Bangladesh. Montreal International and ICAI document the whole program. Some media people were also present. Participants from various organizations witnessed the inaugural event. In Human Development Gallery, the Ghoramara Project was presented and audience asked about the project. An ex. World Bank professional gave a lecture series after the formal inauguration is over. He pointed out the aid dynamics in African countries and state of development in developing countries.

Established Partnerships at Home and Abroad



Nicolien-van Eisjden from Netherlands now on work assignment in Dhaka extended her hands for ICA Bangladesh. She has been supporting Bangladesh in cash and kind for its various activities like training, facilitation and community development activities. She has joined our Advisory Board.

Dhaka ICA established contact through Aziz’s visit in Canada in June and July 2008 with a number of development organizations based in Canada and USA including Falls Brook Center (FBC), USC Canada, Cowater International, Head and Hunts, Meals on Wheels, Feminternational, International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), Analog Forestry Network, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and Plan Canada who appreciated Dhaka ICA’s activities and expressed interest to work together in the near future.

FBC has been working in 4 areas: renewable energy, forestry stewardship, organic farming and community development. Executive Director of FBC Ms. Jean Arnold expressed her keen interest to work with ICA Bangladesh and did a memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties to work in the areas of sustainable community development. USC Canada based in Ottawa is implementing CIDA funded various projects in Bangladesh. Cowater International in Ottawa informed that they have been working in Bangladesh with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Commerce and Environment. Heads and Hunts that has been working in the field of HIV/AIDS, drug, delinquency, prostitution and reproductive health and legal aids expressed interest to submit jointly for funding similar projects in Bangladesh. Meals on Wheels- a local NGO serves persons with disabilities and aged people in the city by delivering cheaper food with bicycle by youth people. IDRF officials appreciated ICA Bangladesh activities and expressed the need to have more partners in Bangladesh. They also initiated the process by providing partnership application form to ICA Bangladesh. IDRF works in the area of relief, livelihood and women empowerment. Fem International mainly works in the capacity building of disadvantaged women and entrepreneurship development. AJWS projects are human rights, women and livelihood.

During these partnership meetings, Aziz talked to 20 non-ICA representatives from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica and Jean Arnold at FBC, Federal Member of Parliament from New Brunswick, Canada Mr. Mike Allen, board member of FBC Ms. Diane McKinnon, Board Member of Feminternational MS. Alicia Zlatar, IDRF Director (Programs) Ms. Delna Karanjia and Program Officer Alexander S. Karapetov, former Plan Canada Country Representative who is Bangladeshi origin – Senior Director International Programs of Plan Canada Dr. Tanzina Mirza, Program Officer of AJWS Ms. Jessica Wrenn.

Aziz during June-July 2008 visit also established contacts with some criminology professors and institutions – Institute for the Prevention of Crime, University of Ottawa; International Center for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), Montreal, Center for Criminology, University of Toronto and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New Yourk in order to find avenues to work in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice research, advocacy and training.

Social Artistry Leadership Training in Nepal



Five persons – Habibur Rahman, Md. Naimul, Afroja Akter, Mehdi Hasan and Abul Khair attended a one week long social artistry leadership training in Nepal during 16-24 July 2008 organized by ICA Nepal in cooperation with John Houston Foundation and UNDP. Six members from Dhaka ICA attended Social Artistry Leadership Training Program in May 2005 in Nepal hosted by ICA Nepal jointly with International Institute for Social Artistry USA/Canada. ICA Nepal took initiatives for developing a strong Social Artistry Trainers team and work in Asia.

The 7th Global Conference on Human Development in Takayama, Japan



The 7th ICA Global Conference on Human Development: Unlocking the Potentials to Create a New World Together is going to be held during 17-21 November 2008 in Takayama, Japan. ICA International and ICA Japan is jointly organizing the conference with support of UNDP Poverty Practice, Civicus: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and UN Global Compact. Around 1000 delegation from all over the world will take part in the conference. Twelve members of ICA Bangladesh are attending the conference. They are Azizur Rahman, Dr. Mahbub Ahmed, Dr. Sarwat Jabeen, Moniruzzaman, Naimul Hassan, Shahadat Khan, Rafiqul Islam, Selina Akter, Hilarius Costa, Michael Gomes, Mily and T M Abdullah Al Fuad.

ICAI General Assembly and Board Meeting 2008



Dhaka ICA for the first time attended the General Assembly (GA) of the Institute of Cultural Affairs International (ICAI) in Toronto, Canada from June 5th to June 09th 2006. Mr. Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Honorary Executive Director of ICA Bangladesh met representatives from 30 national ICAs over the globe during this gathering. Three delegates from ICA Bangladesh will be present in the ICAI General Assembly on 22-23 November 2008 and one in the Board Meeting on 24-25 November 2008 following the 7th Global Conference on Human Development. Dr. Mahbub Ahmed, Mohammad Azizur Rahman and Md. Naimul Hassan are going to join the GA and Mohammad Azizur Rahman in the Board Meeting.



IAF North American Conference in the USA



Mohammad Azizur Rahman joined International Association of Facilitators (IAF) North American Conference – the Art and Mastery of Facilitation Conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, USA on 15-17 June 2006. Aziz attended various sessions and shared facilitation experience during the conference.

Third Annual Sub-continental ICA Meeting



The third annual sub-continental ICA gathering was held in ICA’s Environment Education Center (EEE) in Pune, India on 7 October 2006. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Australia and ICA International represented in the meeting. Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh attended the event. ICA International Secretary General Lambert Okrah was present in the event.

Dhaka ICA joined the ICAI hosted CCBFM Meeting in India

Dhaka ICA took part in the Caucus of Community Based Forest (CCBF) meeting held at EEE of ICA India-Pune hosted by ICA International and funded by the Ford Foundation. Azizur Rahman from ICA Bangladesh was present in the Forestry Strategic Planning Workshop held on 2-5 October 2006. Global forest Coalition (GFC), ICA Australia, three sub-continental ICAs – India, Nepal and Bangladesh and ICAI agreed to be partners in forest management.

IAF North American Conference in the USA

Mohammad Azizur Rahman joined International Association of Facilitators (IAF) North American Conference – the Art and Mastery of Facilitation Conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, USA on 15-17 June 2006. Aziz attended various sessions and shared facilitation experience during the conference.

Third Annual Sub-continental ICA Meeting

The third annual sub-continental ICA gathering was held in ICA’s Environment Education Center (EEE) in Pune, India on 7 October 2006. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Australia and ICA International represented in the meeting. Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh attended the event. ICA International Secretary General Lambert Okrah was present in the event.

ICA International Board Member elected from Bangladesh

Mohammad Azizur Rahman from Bangladesh won in the Board Election of 2007 held on 23rd June 2007 in ICA International secretariat in Canada participated by 30 national member countries from America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Out of 15 board members elected 7 was elected for one year and 8 for 3 years and Azizur Rahman is for 3 years (2007-2010).