50 yrs of ITEC programme today

The Indian High Commi-ssion in Dhaka will celebrate the golden jubilee of its flagship foreign scholarship programme today (Sunday), bringing together Bangladeshi alumni in the capital, reports  bdnews24.com.
President Md Abdul Hamid will join the celebration at the
Bangabandhu International Convention Centre where more than 1,000 people who studied in India under different scholarship schemes will congregate.
The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme has been New Delhi's flagship foreign training scheme since 1964.
The aim of the programme is 'capacity building in developing countries', according to India's Ministry of External Affairs.
Every year, Nov 2 is celebrated as ITEC Day to "foster bonds of friendship" among the alumni and strengthen the networking platform.
India, as part of its foreign policy to improve relations in South Asia, draws a large number of young working professionals in the private and government sectors from across the world and trains them under ITEC in 48 selected institutions annually.
Barrister Tureen Afroz was one of the students who studied under this flagship scholarship. She studied at one of the best women colleges, Lady Sri Ram College under Delhi University, after she stood first in the HSC in 1988.
"It was easy for me to adapt to a new situation in that age and receive quality education because it was in India," she told bdnews24.com recalling her days in New Delhi.
She became a general secretary of the students' union in her house when she was a first year student. "There was no obstacle for a foreign student," she added.
ITEC offers 280 short, medium and long-term courses every year.
Bangladesh is "an important" ITEC partner country, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs.
There has been "overwhelming interest" for the courses from government, private companies, research scholars and university teachers.
In 2011-2012, ITEC slots were increased from 160 to 185 for Bangladesh.
The slots were "fully utilised" the following year. It was increased to 215 this year.
Participation from the government, private universities, private companies and Chamber of Commerce witnessed "an upward trend".
Bangladesh is "a close partner" of India in human resource development and capacity building.
In 2012, a new 'India Scholarship Scheme' was introduced and 100 more scholarships were made available, taking the total number of such scholarships to 206 for Bangladeshi students.
In addition, special courses are under way for mid-career training in field administration for 1,500 Bangladeshi civil servants.
Thirteen batches with 464 candidates have already completed training this year at the Lal Bhadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in India.
Among others, 300 youth who visited India as part of Bangladesh delegations in three years since 2012, will also participate in the celebration on Sunday.