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.