60th anniversary of Sputniks launch celebrated
Sheikh Iraj
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the launch of the first satellite into orbit, Sputnik I, the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Dhaka, in cooperation with Bangladesh Astronomical Association, organised Sputnik Fest on October 4.
Children of various ages participated in different competitions that included drawing about the exploration of the cosmos, making airplane models and a quiz on the basics of astronomy. There was also a photo exhibition dedicated to the first Russian cosmonauts, Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova. Short documentaries on the launch of Sputnik, a panoramic survey of the planet Earth made by a Russian crew on an international space station and an animated film, titled The Squirrel and the Arrow, were screened for the children and their guardians.
All the children who participated in the competitions were presented with certificates and medals with the image of the first Sputnik. The winners were awarded memorable souvenirs.
Taslima Ara Rahman, a Class-7 student of Mastermind School, told this reporter: I have been taking art classes at this cultural centre for a month now, and I got to learn about this art competition from there. My parents always want me to learn new things, so here I am. I am really enjoying this event.
The Space Age began as the Russians launched the first satellite into orbit on October 4, 1957. Sputnik I weighed just 83.50 kg and transmitted a beeping radio signal for 21 days. The remarkable accomplishment by then Soviet Russia sent a shockwave through the American political leadership resulting in US efforts to be the first on the moon.
Talking about the centres activities, facilities for students and its plans regarding the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Russia, director Alexander P Demin told YI: Russian Centre of Science and Culture was established in 1974 in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement. During the time of the Soviet Union, we organised many activities, and we still do so. We offer art, music and dance lessons, but not all the activities are done in a big scale as they used to be. Each year, we give 60 scholarships for higher studies in different subjects. Besides, many Russian universities also offer scholarship opportunities. We also offer a Russian language foundation course. We encourage students who want to study in Russia to learn the language first. That being said, we have limited facilities. We have a library where books in Russian, as well as books in English and Bangla are also available. Any Bangladeshi can become a member of our library by paying a yearly fee of Tk 500.
When asked about how difficult it is for students to get visas and scholarships, the director said: I need to be honest when I talk about students getting visas. Students have two options _ one is to apply for scholarships. The second is students can study by paying their own tuition fees. There are many recruiting and student counselling centres in Bangladesh. They do not need to have any contact with the Russian Embassy or with this centre. They only communicate with the universities or the relevant authorities in Russia. The reality is we do not trust those agencies, rather we want the students and others who want to study or visit Russia to directly contact our embassy or our cultural centre. We are not a commercial organisation. Those who can contact us directly are more likely to get the information they are looking for.
The year 2018 is going to be a big year for all of us as the next Football World Cup is going to be held in Russia. Also, 120 students from Bangladesh are going to participate in the upcoming World Festival of Youth and Students in Russia. From October 14 to 22, young people from across the world will come to Sochi to participate in this great event. The festival has been organised since 1947. We are also planning to arrange some photo exhibitions and other cultural activities that will focus on the World Cup. We are still not sure whether we can put up giant screens all over Dhaka for football fans to watch matches. Those who want to watch the World Cup in Russia, they should contact the organizers for tickets and the embassy to make the visa process smooth. Of course, every country will have its share of tickets for their people. We have about 8 months in hand, so I believe its the best time to apply to the organisers, Demin added.
Photos: Courtesy, Hasanul Banna Joy
