DHAKA : North South University School of Humanities and
Social Sciences (NSU SHSS) hosted another episode of the NSU SHSS Distinguished
Lecture Series on Thursday. Titled “Gross National Happiness,” the talk
featured Dasho Karma Hamu Dorjee, the Ambassador of Bhutan to Bangladesh, as
the keynote speaker. Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of North
South University, chaired the session, while Professor Nasar U. Ahmed, the Pro
Vice-Chancellor, attended as the special guest. The introductory speech was
delivered by Professor Rizwanul Islam.
The keynote speaker introduced Bhutan’s administrative
system and provided a brief overview of the country’s legislative and cultural
frameworks. She also discussed Bhutan’s democratic journey and explained the
nine domains and 33 indicators of Gross National Happiness (GNH). Furthermore,
she presented the questionnaires used in GNH surveys and demonstrated how
happiness is measured through a comprehensive scoring system.
The session chair, Vice Chancellor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury
said that, despite having a small population of around 8 lakh people, Bhutan is
delivering a message to the world’s nearly 8 billion population. He added that
Bhutan’s administrative system has articulated its approaches very effectively.
Although the world is increasingly moving toward capitalist models and wealth
concentration, Bhutan presents a different perspective. In particular, its
approach to climate, the environment, and human development indicators is
highly appreciable and commendable.
Nasar U. Ahmed, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, said that Bhutan
is a country that has taken a well-structured and deliberate approach to
environmental conservation. He added that Bhutan’s methods, approaches,
examples, and political commitment are extremely important for Bangladesh.
According to him, Bangladesh also requires similar measures to strengthen its
environmental protection efforts.
In his introductory remarks, Professor Md. Rizwanul Islam
said that Bhutan has maintained a distinct identity for a long time. He stated
that generally, whenever we look for positive indicators, we tend to look
toward the West. However, Bhutan is a remarkable model to follow in terms of
innovative indicators, culture, social cohesion, and happiness.He further noted
that NSU is always seeking to build academic partnerships with institutions
around the world, and Bhutan is one of the countries in the region with which
the university hopes to strengthen collaboration.
Following her presentation, she participated in an interactive question-and-answer session, engaging with students, academics, and practitioners in discussions on the concept of Gross National Happiness and its relevance in contemporary society.
