E Another seven days of bringing positive change
Last week saw us welcoming Van Nguyen, our new Disaster Risk Reducer (DRR). Please read Deputy Resident Representative Now welcomes are not fun on an empty stomach so we brought in a cake and then realised that we would need another one to make sure no one is left behind. So we also took the scope to congratulate our very own Lionel Laurens for his appointment as the Res-Rep of Zambia. Now you know who to call when you are planning to go on a safari !!! While still on the good note, we have more good news. Our SWAPNO is getting bigger and we are now being able to share it with more extreme poor and vulnerable women - 6,192 to be exact from Kurigram, GaiBandha, Lalmonirhat and Jamalpur districts. We have just signed a deal with Sweden to see this through so next time you meet one of our Swedish colleagues, give them a pat on the back for being on our side as we work for a better Bangladesh. Kudos to the SWAPNO team for making it happen.
Since most of you are heading off for the Eid holidays, remember to do your part in fighting the Dengue crisis at hand. Those of you leaving home, remember to make sure there is no stagnant clear water body left in the vacant house. Others please remember to keep your surroundings clean during the sacrifices and be careful not to leave water puddles behind as you clean up afterwards. Remember we are counting on you to do your part in this crisis and hope that you and your family have a great holiday.
P.S.
On that note... remember the UNDP family you are leaving behind as you prepare to celebrate Eid Ul Azha... BRING BACK SOME OF THOSE GREAT
CURRIES FOR US!!
E
15
Another seven days of bringing positive change
This one goes out to all of you who have been voicing up about the amount of paper being used in our BLUE organisation. We have just gotten a little GREENER!!!
(Defn not from envy but from steps that are enviable)
Cheers to Sharif and Mohiuddin Bhai‛S and their teams for bringing about some ‘GREEN CHANGE‛ PUN intended For those of you who haven‛t been following your mail too closely, you can now electronically fill and submit your UN ID request and Travel Authorisation. So save some paper and do your part for a greener future and please do give us a shout if you have other geat ideas!!! While we are talking about changes in behaviours and practices... take a moment to watch “Bombay Mirror”. The short film starring Rajkummar Rao and Vijay Maurya, and directed by Shlok Sharma will take only three minutes of your time. The film irrespective of the religions portrayed is a telling take on the irrationality of any communal violence. So let‛s give a shout out to our colleagues in the PTIB project who are striving to protect and facilitate harmony in Bangladesh by working to prevent violent extremism. Those of you who are on the longer version of the holidays and are not back in Dhaka or your stations yet, remember to travel safe on your way back, There is a lot of pressure at the end of any holiday so here are some tips to make the return better and safer... If you are travelling by land, make sure the vehicle is in good condition and that the driver has had ample amount of sleep and is in good health.
P.S.
If you are coming by air, make sure to tag your luggages properly and spread out copies of your travel documents and emergency contact numbers in your belongings so you at least have a copy in case they or your cellphone get lost.
If you are travelling by water, make sure the vessel is not overloaded and has sufficient amount of lifejackets and buoys.
Remember the UNDP family you left behind are eagerly waiting for your return so we can get back to making positive changes for a better Bangladesh ALSO, ON A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE... REMEMBER TO BRING BACK CURRIES!!!
E
22
Another seven days of bringing positive change
This week started on a solemn note... Over the weekend, nearly 12,000 people, more than half of them women and children, at Mirpur‛s Jhilpar Slum lost their homes to a devastating fire. The incident is a stern reminder that we will not achieve SDGs without making “cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. Our LIUPC team is already on the ground assessing the situation and working with DNCC and government to improve their living conditions. A shout out to the team for keeping true to our motto of “LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND” On a lighter note... we also hit the 200K likes on our facebook page this week. So a shout out to all our colleagues who have shared our page and content allowing this achievement!!!
Not only in the capital... we are also working in other urban hubs. Illuminate and Ashek Bhai visited Chittagong, sat with the mayor and our team, visited the slums at east Bakulia on the edge of Karnaphuli river and prepared an action plan in consultation with CDC members. Our internal sources confirmed that the visit, although effective, was not all work and no play... Illuminate apparently loved the Mezbani beef!!!
VISUAL QUIZ - The “BLUE” effect
?? Before joining After IC
After SC
After FTA
In a visit to the house of a member of our top management, we were taken by surprise with the presence of these two portraits hanging on the walls in the private library... getting on the good books is one thing but this is ridiculous!!! Jokes apart... Our very own Sayma Abed and Mustafizur Rahaman (THE SILENT KILLERS) deserve a shout out for being the first two to get their supervisor to take time out from his busy schedule and complete their mid-term PMD review. CONGRATS!!!
P.S.
As you all know, the Dengue crisis is still growing and citizen action is required along with that of the city corporations to tackle the situation. It is time to act... Remember to keep your locality clean... if possible... organise regular fumigation drives... involve your communities... it is time to contribute on the personal level...
E
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Another seven days of bringing positive change
This week starts off with great news!! The CO Senior Management visited our colleagues in Cox‛s Bazar and finally saw the end of a six-month long discussion between CO and CxB Crisis Response Office on the Internal Control Framework (ICF). The ICF, developed based on an analysis of the protracted nature of the Rohingya crisis, the emerging portfolio of projects, the expected role of UNDP in longer term recovery and development; should help with the progressive growth of CxB based office programme implementation capacities. CxB CRO now has the appropriate Delegation of Authority which will hopefully help accelerate programme delivery.
As we work to achieve SDG 16... we have to remember that the TIMES HAVE CHANGED GREATLY and that wearing the hair long, being a bohemian and demonstrations are not going to cut it... So on Wednesday, our very own Digital Khichuri Challenge initiative called in a bunch of youth leaders... the biggest utilisers of the digital space... and experts so that they can talk over how the social media can be used to promote peace and fight hatred... Check out the video link on the side to see some snapshots from the event ... PEACE OUT!!!
VISUAL QUIZ - Patient? WHAT??? The following picture popped up in beyond work with the caption: “Went to see the patient, but couldn't go beyond work, as we ended up with a to-do list :)”
P
.S
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Trick question: Who has the highest “patience” here and who is the patient? We have initiated a move to start ironing out kinks hampering our work and streamlinining processes...
As a start, we have sent you a 15-minute survey on the standards and quality of services provided and conducts of UNDP operations personnel. It is kind of like the chance given out during marriages... “SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE". Hehehe... Just kidding... but please do fill it up ASAP.
E September
05
Another seven days of bringing positive change
This week started off with a huge cake for all our birthday boys and girls from August. Tahmina Tamanna, Asma Sultana, Shaikh Munir Hossain, and Ahmed Imran Mustafa refused to celebrate their old age with a dance, but Tania Noor delivered a melodious performance of Tomar Khola Haway. The final birthday boy of August, Shah Zahidur Rahman was missed. We hope someone saved a piece of cake for him. Tania Noor‛s week might have started off on a (literally) high note, but it has been going downhill since, because she has had to go back to the classroom after many, many years. UNDP has partnered with British Council to train 20 employees on business communication. They‛re doing homework, taking notes, and complaining about all of it. After all, re-learning everything from writing emails to proposals, does take a toll on you. Let‛s step out of the highs and lows of Tania Noor‛s life for a while and concentrate on what we will really be doing when the world is shaking. Our NRP programme signed an MoU on 04 September with municipalities of Tangail, Sunamganj and Rangamati. They will be working with these extremely earthquake vulnerable municipalities to help them take into account earthquake preparedness and risk management while making development plans. LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND!!! We are stronger when we work together... and as a part of our teambuilding excercise, we spent Thursday working seriously in recluse at one of the greenest (keep this word in your mind) areas of Agargaon tucked away in the belly of this concrete city. In-Day!!! We cleaned our messes, covered areas of possible collaboration, our overarching targets, had great food courtesy of Sudipto Da, met with Leonardo Di Caprio and got introduced to the newest and youngest unit on the UNDP block - the Research Facility (TRF).
P.S.
So when we were housekeeping last Thursday, one of the things that came to our notice was the INSANE amount of paper that were thrown out. We are working for a GREENER world and we should be RESPONSIBLE... If we have so much paper to throw out... then there is something really amiss. So in line with our green office session, LET‛S REDUCE PAPER USE!!!
the TRF team 1. Think Before You Print 2. Double-sided priniting 3. Use electronic signature 4. Prefer soft copies insted of hardcopies
E September
12
Another seven days of bringing positive change
It is like those fairy tales, the rightful heir is kept from ascending the throne by conspiracy, subterfuge and trickery. But the light of good finally shines through after bouts of climaxes and anti climaxes, and the King takes his rightful place and peace is once again restored and the people of the land rejoice!!! Well, while we did not get to see the conspiracy, subterfuge or trickery, bureaucratic red tape played a similar role. And this time also the light did finally shine through... Sudipto finally got to present his credentials to the foreign minister and after nine long months... WE HAVE A NEW Res Rep...
THE OFFICIAL DECREE HAS ARRIVED!!! ALL HAIL THE KING!!!
And like the people of the land... we did rejoice... with Cake (for the time being) [We hope our NEW RR won‛t be that bad]
This week we had guests from KOICA Bangladesh. Together with the country director Joe, deputy country director Il-Ryoung and other colleagues from KOICA we discussed ideas of shared interest around Youth Employment and Digital Service Delivery in the CHT; Digital Service Delivery under a2i and on Women‛s Economic Empowerment. Our guests also had a chance to tour the Innovation Lab. We look forward to continuing our close partnership with KOICA in the years to come
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.S
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When we talked last week about “Speak now or forever hold your peace”, WE WERE JOKING!!! Seriously... the response to the client perception survey is disappointing. While we keep hearing random complaints, there is so little response when it is the time to act. Here is the link again: https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/#BJeVYcVE PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME and get the survey done so that we can get a full picture!!!
E September
19
Another seven days of bringing positive change
It is not always that a day afer returning to work you end up with the treat of a lifetime... and that too inside the IDB premises!!! Light Polao, Mutton Curry, Chicken Roast, Vegetable, Fish Fry, Salad, Firni... Imran Bhai came out with all his guns blazing...The food was finger-licking good (sorry to those who ate with a spoon)... and with zero commute... So...Congratulations to Imran Bhai on his new appointment!!! Meanwhile, those of you who still owe us a treat... You now have very big shoes and tummies to fill!!!
While talking about zero commute... we had guests who tried to cover the commute we saved during Imran Bhai‛s lunch. Our colleagues from Philippines -Titon Mitra and Andrew Parker came along with their government‛s representatives to share knowledge on using digital platforms to reduce urban poverty. So they went all the way to Narayanganj, one of the areas covered by LIUPC, and met the mayor and talked first-hand with the local people there. While we all know that Sudipto Dada is a charming orator, it seems that all the other agencies have also caught on... Which is why the organisers gave him the graveyard shift (the session right after lunch) at the ‘SDGs and Bangladesh‛ to talk about climate change, environment and urbanisation. And Dada kept our heads high presenting with the flair that is uniquely his... According to reports from our spies in the audience, no one slept during his session!!!
P.S.
When Ferrari launched the F10 in 2010, it was one of the fastest cars on the track and a pride for the brand... But now... it seems that the F10s have become very slow... Jokes apart... we still have 304 F10s pending that need to be addressed by tomorrow. Please act fast if you have any pending...
E September
26
Another seven days of bringing positive change
This week starts on a sad note... Our favourite Illuminate is near the end of her assignment here and will be leaving us soon. She will be heading to Dar es Salaam for her daughter‛s marriage after this. We do not know if any of our colleagues complained about not being able to go to the marriage but Illuminate‛s choice of food for her farewell treat has us speculating... See the picture Biryani!!! This is also proof that at least SOMEONE is reading the Week... When we joked about filling big shoes after Imran Bhai‛s treat, Illuminate seems to have take us seriously... there was an abundance of food that all our sources vouched could fill them up to their necks. Jokes aside, Illuminate, you will be missed... and our heartiest Congratulations to your daughter!!! On Monday, a new chapter of partnering for the goals was opened at the Westin, Dhaka. UNDP organised a roundtable with members of the top management of private sector leaders like Unilever and Rahimafrooz to explore how they could contribute to achieving the SDGs. Not only was the day-long discussion very positive, they also agreed to be part of a platform, formed on that very day, to strengthen private-public partnership for achieving the Goals. So, SDGs, here we come!!! This is for those of you who were overjoyed at the picture of Van‛s ‘Pahari melai hariye jawa jomoj1 bon‛ on Wednesday. Sorry to let you down but it was Van herself. Although it looked like she was having fun and enjoying herself, Van was actually there alongwith Sudipto for the launch of Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh (AVCB) Phase -II in the Chittagong hill tracts. The project which has done tremondously in improving the access to justice for disadvantaged and marginalised groups of people in the plains, will now be working in the hills also taking us one step closer to LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND. 1
Footnote - Hariye Jawa Jomoj is a recurrent prot in Bengali cinema where twins get separated in a crowded place and one of them is tragically lost only to magically re-enter the plot when all grown up.
P.S.
Our cameras caught this duo cooking something up in the washroom on 18th floor. Their actions looked very fishy and although we checked the footage repeatedly, we could not find out what they were up to. WHAT WERE THEY DOING?
Please, we need everybody‛s help... especially after Sudipto‛s mail about keeping washrooms clean. So we are sharing the footage with you. Click on the link and if you can find anything we overlooked... PLEASE INFORM US!!!
E October
03
Another seven days of bringing positive change
This week ended empty... after two consecutive weeks, we failed to score a hat-trick. NO TREATS THIS WEEK... One of the key reasons could be that we had a lot of SERIOUS and heavyweight events this week. For example, the training for ERD officials on ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY organised by our K4DM colleagues at BICC. For those of you who are comparing the topic to buying gifts or covering costs for your spouses... this is a very different type of diplomacy!!! Economic diplomacy is a prime tool that effectively uses a country‛s foreign policies to serve its national interests... so basically the training was on... how to negotiate better... learn how others are negotiating... and how it should be for Bangladesh. And if you think it could not have gotten heavier than this... you are mistaken... We also had 20 lawmakers toiling half a day ‘storming‛ their brains to find out how the parliament‛s MoU with UNDP can be utilised to help them contribute towards achieving the SDGs. The brainstorming session was chaired by the Speaker herself and our sources inside said we had quite a lot to look forward to. So fingers crossed...
Things have really KICKED OFF for our very own Van after coming to Bangladesh. After securing her honorary ‘Chakma‛ title last week in the hills... Van is apparently in line to secure a place on the Barca squad this week. Just look at the picture!!! So now she has the title... the fame and the riches!!! Just hoping she does not “Leave us behind” for a soccer career Good luck Van... remember to bring autographs!
P.S.
It seems that our cameras are just catching these guys. And again its very FISHY!!! This time it was Gandhi up to no good... Check out the footage...
E October
10
Another seven days of bringing positive change Take a careful look at the picture on the side... These are the people you can turn to whenever you face harrasment or abuse of authority in UNDP Bangladesh. No matter what they will stand by your side and help you out. As our RR put it during their workshop at BRAC CDM at the start of the week... they are working to “Make UNDP Bangladesh a better, safer and dignified place to work” and their motto is “Prevention, Inclusive and Pro-active”. But we cannot stand by on the sidelines for this... So Gear Up Folks... All of us have a role to play.
Not only UNDP. We are also working to make workplaces around Bangladesh better. Some time in the week before, we, with our partner HSBC, organised a roundtable titled ‘Garment Sector Dialogue on Sustainability‛. Key issues discussed were women care, skill development, equal pay, employing people with disabilities, environment sustainability, product diversification and innovation. All the issues raised were unearthed through a series of consultations with both the buyers and suppliers in the industry. Now the story below is an example of being on your toes! But we will get to WHY later on... Last week, as a part of SDGs localisation initiative, our EALG and SFLP colleagues organised a meeting to discuss on a pilot with Bureau of Statistics (BBS) to map the status of SDGs at Dacope Upazila under Khulna district through a detailed household survey. This type of survey for mapping SDG status is a first in Bangladesh. And so is this story!!! This is the first story sent proactively by any project to the Week team to be shared. Kudos to the EALG team!! Oops! They did it again...
P.S.
Click on the photograph to find out what our DUO have been up to lately... BEWARE! This seemingly innocent photograph of Zilla Haider looking at his cellphone has a sordid tale to tell.
E October
17
Another seven days of bringing positive change
It‛s been quite a productive week at UNDP, and it started off with a brief encounter with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself!!! On Sunday, the PM visited UNDP‛s stall at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) on the occasion of International Day for Disaster Mitigation
As many esteemed guests visited, one of our own has taken a brief sabbatical to Human Rights Programme. If you‛ve been wondering why you can‛t hear Tania Noor asking everyone to go to lunch, it‛s because she‛s having lunch at a faraway office in Karwan Bazar now.
It wasn‛t just the PM who graced us with her presence, a neighbour also visited. Peter Batchelor, Resident Representative of UNDP Myanmar, met with his Bangladesh counterpart Sudipto Mukerjee. Somehow they both wore blue. It‛s not just the country office that‛s been getting things done -- the Bangkok Regional Hub has launched UNDP Urban Update‛s fourth issue. It features our Livelihoods Improvement for Urban Poor Communities project, which is active across 36 urban areas, benefitting four million people. This week, we‛ve also made strides in leaving no one behind, as we unveiled two publications on the hijra community to bring their stories forward. With support from Human Rights Programme, UNDP and Faria Lara Foundation published “Hijra Shobdokosh” and “Rupantorito Manusher Golpo” on Wednesday.
P.S.
This is getting boring... these two are up to something or the other every week and seriously it is tiring us... But this frame is giving us hope... looks like we might be finally rid of the duo... Click on the photograph to find out who WINS...
E October
24
Another seven days of bringing positive change
As the end of the year draws closer, so does the deadline for year-end delivery. Robert Stoelman had an epiphany regarding this earlier in the week. If you would like to be a part of Rob Stoelman‛s Delivery Stress Support Network, let us know. We have tissue papers for your tears. The country office has been busy advocating to the private sector about SDGs. UNDP and the ministry on climate change jointly organised a training session on preventing pollution and making products more eco-friendly for Walton‛s technicians and other officials at the company‛s head office Bashundhara. Van Nguyen and Khurshid Alam also visited the Walton factory with the Environment Minister Shahab Uddin, but unfortunately they didn‛t bring us any cellphones or TV sets.
Meanwhile, two agreements were signed for Waste to Energy Project under SREPGen, while K4DM organised yet another ‘hectic‛ workshop in Sylhet for non-resident Bangladeshi engagement Despite all our best intentions, there are some moments we cannot avoid... Thursday was Najmul Bhai‛s last working day as he moves to UN Women‛s greener pastures
P.S.
Talk about being serious about wearing blue for UN Day... The village court team has been working on it for years now. Even their office is wearing blue on the designated day. This sort of forward planning also brings in good news... the project has been selected for showcasing at the 2019 Paris Peace Forum!
Finally a refreshing change... It took us a dozen weeks to get here but we now have two good-looking people on screen instead of the usual ‘follically-challenged‛ duo... We also have a pool of people who have graciously volunteered to appear in our awareness campaigns So enjoy the change and “PLEASE DON‛T BE LIKE THAT”
Go Village Court!!!
E October
31
Another even days of bringing positive change
This week started off with very ‘hot‛ heads. A climathon was organised by UNDP and Gen Lab at the Daily Star Center. A gruop of young people were kept in a room and given 24 hours to brain stomp climate solutions. Talk about overlocking the processors!!!
Sudipto Mukherjee delivered a keynote presentation on Agenda 2030 and Divisibility, highlighting our longstanding commitment to sustainable inclusion and leaving no one behind. How many of you can marp out the goals which have direct impact on the lives of people with disabilities?
Among such serious programmes, we made time for some art and play as well. A three-day celebretion was organised for International Freshwater Dolphin Day till October 27 at the Liberation War Museum in Agargaon. There were puppet shows and an art competition for kids, because one is never to young to learn about the SDGs.
Almost every SDG was touched upon this week, including gender equality. EALG project organised a two-day training programme from Sunday to strengthen leadership qualities of 68 elected women representatives, as part of Women Development Forum (WDF).
P.S.
The ‘hind of change‛ has kept blowing... This week we have two new stars to take the qame further. Also, we are looking out for serous followers of the Weak and to serch them out, we have intentionally left a few spelling mistakes these time... the first one to mark them out and send them to md.quayyum@undp.org along with the answer to the question above by Tuesday will get a surprise givt and honourable mention in the next Week!!!
E November
07
Another seven days of bringing positive change
We might have beat India in cricket last weekend, but we could not beat Sudipto Dada in being a good sport! So let‛s just hope we‛ll continue defeating India in cricket!!! However, the week was not all fun and games, as we had one serious event after the other. General Economic Division (GED) and UNDP held a “Consultation on Private Sector Engagement in Attaining SDGs in Bangladesh: Bonding and Beyond Thoughts” at InterContinental Dhaka. Then DRRF organised a roundtable marking World Tsunami Awareness Day on Tuesday.
Kris Mukundan, International Team Leader for the UNDP led UN supported Cox‛s Bazar District Development Plan formulation presented the initial results of the needs assessment and prioritization exercise to all the resident Development Partners at an event hosted by the UK High Commission and DFID. Fortunately on Wednesday, THE APA treated us to grand lunch spread, keyrings and personally signed cards on the little flower bouquets... Now those are the fine touches we will miss when she heads off to BRH. Good news is that she is here until the long Delivery season is over.. To be frank, we may never run out of reasons to appreciate and miss Shaila Khan, the not-so-silent guardian of UNDP Bangladesh!!!
P.S.
We don‛t know how many of you have noticed the new UNDP aprons that Ripa Apa and Bashar 2.0 (A.K.A Shohag) are strutting. We have also done away with plastic bottles from our meetings and now serve water in cool SDG glass bottles!!!
We have sad news... None of the participants of the SERIOUS WEEK READER contest from last week could find out all the errors... But fret not... we did some intense calculations and data gleaning to find the two winners so as to not be spoilsports. (Click to find the scoresheet and pdf with all errors.)
So congrats to Tshering Pem and Rezwana Hoque Chaity!!! The gifts would reach you two soon... But NO videos for all of you this week!!!
E November
14
Another seven days of bringing positive change We started this week on a solemn note. Cyclone Bulbul wrecked havoc in the coastal areas leading to loss of 26 lives. But it could have been a lot worse. Volunteers trained by UNDP‛s ICBAAR project took a proactive role in alerting the people and evacuation to cut down the losses. So thanks to the volunteers who put their neck out for the people and the ICBAAR team for preparing them so well!!!
Meanwhile, our work against one of the key attributable causes behind the frequency rise of cyclones - Global Warming - continued even during the storm itself. Sattya Dada and Tanzina Apa visited Kushtia to see our pilot, a Bangladeshi first, of generating electricity from waste and supplying it to the national grid. Around 3,000 KWh daily supply is expected to help cut down use of fossil fuel. Our solar irrigation pumps would also be linked to the grid to ensure that the 40-60% solar energy wasted during the agricultural off-season is used. And we did not stop there. To increase disaster preparedness for the future, the 2nd Meeting of Project Advisory Board of Disaster Response and Recovery Facility (DRRF) was held on Monday. Then we sat with Chinese dignitaries, who supported us for aid distribution during the floods in 2018, on Thursday aiming future cooperation. And finally the audit team is here! On Sunday, they brought with them promises of 10 very busy days, hundreds of cups of black coffee and lost hair (torn and fallen) !!! But jokes aside, the audit process is an integral part of ensuring the transparency UNDP proudly boasts to its donors and beneficiaries. So three cheers for the team. On the same note, a small reminder. UNDP has zero tolerance for Fraud and Corruption... The remaining 10 percent who have missed out doing the mandatory ethics course... click here!!! Thanks to the other 90%... You have made us proud!!! Meanwhile, good news!!! We have set up a little bit of Bangladesh in Paris for all to see... Our village court team has hit the Paris Peace Forum. The forum was opened by the Hon. President of France and General Secretary of United Nations together with more than 30 Head of State/Government of diferent countries. Yay!!! AVCB team!!!
P.S.
All work and no play makes JACK a dull boy!!! But we know that whatever it might be, a day in UNDP is never dull... For example, while the research facility spends the day with big numbers and complicated jargons, after hours seem to be fun!!! Ask the team if they have any openings if you are an avid foosball fan. Heard Shadlee is really good!!!
Meanwhile, here is a prize for you after the hectic week. Click to see the video and enjoy the weekend (Psst... the
audit team will still be here when you get back)!!!
E November
21
Another seven days of bringing positive change Guess who‛s back!!! With the stress levels reaching an all-time high with the year-end, the audit and THE DELIVERY PRESSURE ; the prince of UNDP Bangladesh Tasin took time off from his busy schedule and paid a visit to his subjects at the start of the week. Sudipto Da, as evident from the picture, reunited with his young friend Tasin took the scope to return the honorary title of Official Stress Reliever to the prince, a proposal he gladly accepted. Let‛s now just hope his mom agrees to bring him back!!! As urban citizen, we should ponder upon our living conditions. And right on time, the research facility took a cue from urban October and focused their first release on urbanization.
Meanwhile, we have a new Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP). Kanni Wignaraja brings over 25 years of UN experience and UNDP‛s SDG role. WELCOME to the family!!!
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ISSUE 01 NOVEMBER 2019
URBAN SPEC TRUM F R O M U N P L A N N E D U R B A N I S AT I O N T O L I V E A B L E C I T I E S
We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we did.
(Psst - look out for the interactive bits)
Our Engaging with Institutions (EI) project and Planning Commission‛s General Economics Division organised a three-day consultation workshop with custodian agencies on “SDGs Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Bangladesh” on Tuesday at BRAC CDM, Rajendrapur
It‛s been an eventful week, and meaningful discussions on financial inclusion and digital payments occurred at Bangladesh Digital Wages Summit on Wednesday. It was organised by a2i with support from Cabinet Division, UNDP, and Better Than Cash Alliance.
P.S.
Now we all know that there is a video in each issue of the week. And there are a lot of complaints about people not being able to see them. Well the reason is that it is hosted on our internal facebook group - Beyond Work. Those of you who have not joined the group, please click on the group‛s name.
Remember the power rangers and their fancy watches with super powers? Well we did not go that far, but our colleagues in North Korea sent us pictures of them boasting our wristbands thanks to Le Le Lan. She carried them all the way after her short assignment in Bangladesh. Thanks for spreading a little bit of Bangladesh in Korea!!!
Meanwhile, we are also giving you all your chance to your minute or two of fame. We are looking for concepts for our weekend videos and also actors/actresses!!! So for the spotlight, drop your concept or a line if you want to act to md.quayyum@undp.org by next Thursday. Let‛s all work for a better workplace. So with no further talk. Here is this week‛s video. Enjoy and Happy Weekend.
E November
28
Another seven days of bringing positive change The week started off with really good news!!! We have a new addition to our UNDP family.
Our very own Suzaur Rahman Milon from IT became the father of a beautiful girl on Friday. Our little princess is called Safiyya!!! The mother and child are both doing great, but Suza Bhai is still a little numb from this sudden ‘LOVE @ 1st SIGHT‛. We hope that he understands and finally realises that this is one thing he shall never recover from! Congrats Suza Bhai...
Sudipto, on Sunday, went all out at a workshop for the parliamentary standing committee organised by NRP. He urged their increased participation and transparency. He also called for proper monitoring and reporting to ensure effective implementation of the Sendai Framework This week‛s start seems all about transparency. Our governance colleagues held a programme to orient 19 MPs to this app called constituency tracker which help development progress of their constituencies and increase
The Government of Bangladesh and United Nations jointly commenced the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence by holding a national dialogue on Monday. Use your voice and your platform to speak up against gender-based violence and raise awareness in your community during these 16 days. Also send us pictures and stories of what you are doing at your offices. Here is HRP after a sensitizing session for their male colleagues.
“What do you think they are doing, in a small island, so far-far-far away from the office? Write your answer and send to md.quayyum@undp.org, we will forward them to the duo and the one they find to be the best will get an award!!!
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this week‛s cabinet meeting unveiled “Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD)-2019, which was amended by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, with support from UNDP. The Cabinet also approved a proposal for ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. UNDP has been providing support to the government to ratify the Kigali Amendment- a legally binding climate agreement to phase down the Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by roughly 80-85% till 2045. While many of us have lost our peace of mind and wake up in the middle of the night seeing a nightmare about how delivery is falling short, our very own Digital Khichuri Challenge arranged for a “PIECE OF PEACE” on Thursday. Called the peace talk cafe, the second iteration concentrated on mainly cyber bullying, its victims and self-censorship as a part of 16 days of activism against gender based violence.
Harrasment has many forms and dimensions and we should all be aware of when we should speak up. Enjoy the video and we really loved the ideas you guys have sent in... So more fun videos up ahead!!!
E December
05
Another seven days of bringing positive change
The end of this year, and the decade, has officially begun with an eventful first week of December. SDG-16 took centre stage at In-Gov Conference, organised by UNDP to promote inclusive governance for a peaceful and just society.
It has been a particularly busy week for DRRF -- they organised the first ever meeting on Fraud Awareness and Control Mechanism with project implementing personnel.
Meanwhile, a workshop on Disaster Recovery Planning was organised by UNDP and MoDMR, to explore challenges and gaps in the recovery mechanism through discussion among stakeholders.
As part of 16 days of activism, Human Rights Training for Police was organised where participants vowed to protect human rights with special focus of maintaining utmost gender sensitivity in their job. For a smooth middle-income graduation that includes every citizen, social security is crucial. The Cabinet Division and UNDP organised Bangladesh Social Security Conference and Fair 2019 at Bangabandhu Novo Theatre engaging all partners working for this cause. Meanwhile, NCC Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy visited a2i‛s innovation lab. She was stunned by the work that is being done and has opted to set up such a lab in her city. Talk about inspiring innovation!!!
Continuing to #OrangetheWorld, EALG arranged an oath-taking event in 18 u p a z i l a s simultaneously, where nearly 3,000 people vowed to end gender-based violence.
All of these events were attended by important people talking about serious issues, but the most important (and happiest) occasion of the week was our very own Sudipto da‛s birthday. He‛s getting younger every day.
Wait! It‛s not over! Our climate and disaster resilience colleagues have taken things further. A workshop was held on developing gender tagging tool for climate finance.
E December
12
Another seven days of bringing positive change The highlight of this week without doubt is the release of our very own global Human Development Report. We can be proud of Bangladesh with the country moving up a tier due to development which had seen a reduction in poverty, along with gains in life expectancy, education, and access to health care. However, the report also highlighted an aspect we now need to focus on: “The next generation of inequalities is opening up, particularly around technology, education, and the climate crisis.”
Shaila apa‛s farewell was the lowest part of this week -- although everyone dressed up and took pictures with the bosslady, the celebration on Thursday was tinged with sadness. It might take some time for everyone to get accustomed to the idea of not having THE APA around the office. Digital Khichuri Challenge concluded on the same day -with four promising winners in two categories. We cannot wait to see what these young innovators of Team Edsight, Choukosh, We Workers and Probash Kotha do in the future. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Human Rights Day‛s event promised to bring to trial all violations of human rights. The event was organised by NHRC, whom UNDP supports through its HRP project.
Meanwhile, our DRRF colleagues, with the Ministry of Home Affairs, jointly organised the 1st validation Workshop on “Fire Service and Civil Defence‛s Reform Initiatives” at CIRDAP. The objective was to discuss the pros and cons of emergence of new fire risks and future reform needs of FSCD for enhancing its competency as per the international level.”
Meet Anavia Quayyum, the latest addition to Q Bhai‛s family. She came in and immediately ensured gender balance in her family!!! Now that is the spirit becoming of UNDP family‛s new princess.
And we end the week with a tribute to our dearest Shaila Apa!!! Due to immense public demand by those who were not at the farewell... Here is the video we made to bid her adieau...
E December
19
Another seven days of bringing positive change
HSBC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly organised a workshop on Sustainability Reporting Framework at Amari Hotel, in which government officials, garment exporters, merchandisers, sustainability experts, and factory owners participated.
National Resilience Programme organised an inception workshop at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, on a study titled Supply Chain Resilience of RMG Sector in Bangladesh. The programming division of the planning commission is carrying out the study for promoting best business practices in the country. On Tuesday, UNDP and Citi Foundation in association with the ICT Division organised “Accelerator Bangladesh 2.0: National Dialogue to Foster the Startup Ecosystem in Bangladesh”. It aimed to share the ideas of youth accelerating the implementation of SDGs through leadership, social innovation and entre¬preneurship. Top three teams were awarded in the event for their innovations as startup ecosystems from 20 social enterprises. Meanwhile, UNDP along with LGD, has hosted a workshop to field test an IELD module developed by our headquarters. Organisers say it was a ‘HIT‛ with the participants from the local government.
And the duo are back... we finally caught them on camera and right at the moment when one of them was up to no good (Even during the year closing rush). Check the video out and please don‛t be that guy!!!
The holiday season is upon us, so post your best Christmas selfie on Beyond Work, and jingle all the way to a special prize for the winner of the selfie contest!