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Chemical engineers meet tomorrow

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The chemical engineers are going to celebrate their 50th year as a professional group at a two-day international conference beginning tomorrow at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Dr Iqbal Mahmud, professor emeritus, Department of Chemical Engineering of BUET, yesterday said in these 50 years the department has produced 1,200 chemical engineers. "The conference will act as a plat
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form for our professional graduates to exchange ideas, experiences and research findings in different areas of this branch of knowledge," he said.
The department and Chemical Engineering Alumni Association jointly organised the function. The conference will be a unique opportunity for both industrialists and academics from home and abroad to discuss issues and prospects of a new generation of chemical and process industries in developing countries.
"Two-thirds of our graduates are working in fertiliser, gas, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, paper and pulp, cement, basic chemical, sugar and food and allied industries in the country. Presently, one-third of the graduates are employed abroad," Dr Mahmud told The Daily Star.
During the 1950s and '60s people did not understand the need for chemical engineers in running an industry. Traditionally, applied chemistry and mechanical engineering were the first choices for such industries then. Later on, chemical engineers were able to demonstrate their skills in planning and installation of the chemical industries.
Currently the transition from the largely state-funded enterprises to units built on private initiatives has presented new areas of opportunities as well as challenges for the chemical engineers, he added.
"In the private sector, chemical engineers have taken the initiative
for developing ceramic industry. The products of these industries can stand global competition," he said adding, "In the gas sector, chemical engineers have made significant contributions and they have also made their mark in other areas like construction industries, equipment fabrications and pollution control," Dr Mahmud said.
"In the private sector fertiliser plants like Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited, chemical engineers have now been able to achieve production target at 120 percent of the 'name plate' capacity," he said.
In the global pharmaceutical and ceramic products competition, they have made progress in production and met international standards, Dr Mahmud said. "We have had a linkage programme with five distinguished universities in the USA, the UK and Canada and through this exchange we have built new laboratory equipment undertaking joint research projects," he said.
With only five students, the department was launched in 1952 and only one student joined in 1954. Now more than 50 students graduate every year from the department. During the conference, more than 60 technical papers will be presented. Of these, 15 have been authored by foreign contributors and 19 by nonresident Bangla-deshis. Distinguished persons from fertiliser, petroleum, natural gas, ceramic and pharmaceutical industries will present papers on the current status and future direction of these industries.