On 8 August 1995, Dr. Khondkar Siddique-e Rabbani, a Professor of the Department of Physics, Curzon Hall building, University of Dhaka, organized a meeting inviting some of his colleagues and students at his office and proposed the formation of a society with a vision to promote and foster science & technology research relevant to the needs of the common people – to enhance the quality of life of all people in Bangladesh and throughout the world. The individuals present at the meeting agreed to the proposal and joined hands to form a society named ‘Relevant Science & Technology Society, Bangladesh (RSTS)’. They met again on 5 September 1995 and signed a Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of RSTS which was submitted for registration by the Government under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. After necessary official procedures, RSTS was given a registration certificate on 6 January 1996 by the Registrar of the Joint Stock Companies, Dhaka, Bangladesh; the registration number being S-1694(43)/96. The first registered address was 20/5 West Panthopath, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh. Twenty-two persons were signatories to the formation of RSTS on 5 September 1995 and their names and occupations are given in the following list.

SerialNameOccupation
1Dr. Khondkar Siddique-e-RabbaniPhysics Teacher
2Dr. M. Adnan KiberPhysics Teacher
3Mr. A B M Humayun KabirPhysics Teacher
4Dr. Reza Bin ZaidMedical Consultant
5Mrs. Kamila AfrojPhysicist
6Mr. A K M Shamsul HudaPhysicist
7Mr. Moinuddin HassanPhysicist
8Mr. A S M IbrahimPhysicist
9Mr. Md. Jahangir AlamPhysicist
10Mr. Muzaddid SarkerPhysicist
11Mr. Tanvir Noor BaigPhysicist
12Mr. Farhad Gias MilkiPhysicist
13Mr. S.M. Zakir HossainPhysicist
14Ms. Nahreen MaherukhPhysicist
15Mr. Suman Ahmed SabirPhysicist
16Ms. Suravi IslamPhysicist
17Ms. Naureen M. RahmanPhysicist
18Ms. Sabera RahmanPhysicist
19Mr. Sabbir HossainPhysicist
20Mr. Md. Habibur Rahman AkandPhysicist
21Mr. Mahmudur RahmanPhysicist
22Mr. Md. Shaheen MiaPhysicist

The first general body meeting after registration was held on 23 January 1996 at Curzon Hall building of the University of Dhaka, presided over by Professor Khondkar Siddique-e Rabbani. The meeting was attended by the following members:

  1.    Professor K.S. Rabbani
  2.   Mr. Md. Moinuddin Hassan
  3.   Dr. M. Adnan Kiber
  4.   Mr. A.B.M. Humayun Kabir
  5.   Mr. Md. Jahangir Alam
  6.   Mr. Muzaddid Sarker
  7.   Mr. Md. Habibur Rahman Akand
  8.   Mr. Md. Shaheen Mia
  9.   Mr. Md. Shumon Alam
  10. Mr. Sabbir Hossain
  11. Ms. Suravi Islam
  12. Ms. Sabera Rahman
  13. Ms. Nahreen Maherukh
  14. Mr. Sumon Ahmed Sabir
  15. Mr. Tanvir Noor Baig
  16. Mr. Farhad Gias Milki
  17. Mr. S.M. Zakir Hossain
  18. Dr. Md. Reza Bin Zaid
  19. Ms. Kamila Afroz

There they distributed the portfolios of the first Executive Committee of RSTS as follows:

PresidentProfessor K.S. Rabbani
Vice PresidentDr. Reza Bin Zaid
TreasurerMs. Kamila Afroj
General SecretaryDr. Adnan Kiber
Joint SecretaryMr. A.B.M. Humayun Kabir
Members
Mr. A.K.M. Shamsul Huda
Mr. A.S.M. Ibrahim
Mr. Md. Jahangir Alam
Mr. Muzaddid Sarker
Mr. S.M. Zakir Hossain
Ms. Nahreen Maherukh

Rules and Regulations to act as Guidance only,

invoking individual responsibility of the leadership

The general body of RSTS observed that traditional ‘Rules and regulations’ or ‘Constitution’ often fail to provide the objective of an organization in practice. This is because it is impossible for human beings to perceive of every situation beforehand and formulate all-encompassing flawless constitutions or rules. However, the requirement to abide by such rules and regulations frequently blocks the exercise of human conscience and judgment in individual circumstances. In many cases, if there is hypocrisy in leadership, it leads to distortion in the interpretations of the rules to the advantage of the leadership, but at the same time shunning their own personal responsibility, putting it all on the ‘rules and regulations’ or the ‘constitution’. There is no alternative to trust, honesty, sincerity, and transparency in the leadership to get a humane society. The existing procedure of ‘mistrust-check and balance’ has not given us a nice world to live in. Rather, the general body of RSTS realized that the procedure should be based on trust which allows human conscience to get the upper hand. A trust also invokes individual responsibility which the existing system based on mistrust takes away. Therefore, the general body of RSTS resolved that all rules and regulations of RSTS as delineated in the ‘Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations’ will actually be treated as a Guidance. Each member of the Executive Committee individually will hold the responsibility of any action taken by the Committee and will be answerable to the General Body.

Future

RSTS is looking towards much more engaging activities in line with its vision and mission, at both home and abroad.