Choose the 

CSC theme under which your chosen course is

Strengthening resilience and response to crises

categorised *       

Choose the University and Course for Strengthening resilience and response to

crises *                                  
University of Warwick : MASc Global Sustainable Development

1. How your proposed study relates to:

a) development issues at the global, national and local level? 
b) development issues connected to your chosen CSC theme and the
wider sector?
Development Impact part 1 * (200 words)

Ans. The communication sector plays one of the key roles in the global,
national and local economy. Several issues in transportation, such as improper
transport planning, lack of vehicle maintenance ruins the transportation
network, thus, resulting in hampering the resilience and alleviating crises, and
ending with a falling economy. Therefore, all different modes of transportation
require extensive planning that incorporates engineered solutions to strengthen
resilience.

Planning with a robust engineered solution in the roadway and railway

transportation would be helpful to strengthen resilience and response to crises.
Likewise, better planning and robust engineered solution for waterways,
airways, and pipelines would be able to keep resilient in the communication
sector globally.

Technological development in the transportation sector will strengthen the

global connection helping the global economic growth. For instance, despite
being the victim of several natural calamities every year, the rapid development
of Japan is not hidden from the world. One of the main reasons behind this can
be their focus on ensuring an uninterrupted communication system through
maintaining the best possible transportation facilities. This indicates that better
transport planning incorporating the best possible engineered solution could
bring the resilience back soon after any disaster ensuring better response to
the crises.

2. How you intend to apply your new skills and qualification when you
return home?
Development Impact part 2 * (100 words)
Ans.
In Bangladesh, road safety, traffic congestion, utility cuts in the roadways are
the common issues of road transportation. In the capital, an increasing number
of fatalities and casualties and everyday wastage of working hours on roads are
suppressing economic growth. The newly introduced roadway transport systems
need assessments in regards to their effectiveness in reducing congestion.
Again, waterways and airways traffic management systems need advanced
planning to avoid undulated performance in both modes of transportation. I
intend to apply my knowledge and new skills by addressing these common
issues followed by planning for a sustainable transportation system in the
country. 
3. What you expect will change in development terms following your
studies, including:
a) the outcomes that you aim to achieve?
b) the timeframe for their implementation?
c) who the beneficiaries will be?
Development Impact part 3 * (250 words)

Ans.
The overall outcome I aim to achieve is to attain safe and sustainable
transportation facilities for the countrymen. At present, the roadway transport
system is in the most vulnerable condition in Bangladesh. Thus, the prime area
that needs massive changes in the roadway transportation system through
ensuring less traffic congestion, a smaller number of fatalities and casualties
per year, wider and robust roadways, less traffic control delay, reducing
bottlenecks throughout the country. In remote areas, where communication
system through roadways breaks due to the natural hazards will have another
convenient mode of transportation for the local people such as waterway
transportation. The waterway transportation system will have an adverse
weather management system and other measures for safety.

Any development that requires the involvement of local people needs to take
place steadily so that people can get enough time to embrace the changes
safely. The aforementioned developments require the inclusion of advanced
technology, that is, an intelligent transportation system, which necessitate
country-specific research, user acceptance and training, skilled labor, time, and
most importantly huge government investments. Therefore, the required
timeframe can be predicted as no less than ten years.

Developments in the transportation system will benefit the local people and the
government both locally and globally. To explain, fewer fatalities and casualties
will result in less monetary loss, less traffic congestion will raise the working
hours, that is, more income per capita, An uninterrupted transportation system
will complement the overall economic growth through enhancing global
business and foreign investments. 

4. How the impact of your work could be best measured?

Development Impact part 4 * (100 words)

Ans.
A sustainable transportation system can alleviate the standard of living, bring
resilience to the communities, and as a whole can boost the countries
development. Development in the transportation sector will cut down the stress
and time due to traffic congestion, fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance and
infrastructure costs, harmful emissions, and life and property loss. This will
improve public health, environmental condition, per capita income, property
values and, in the meantime, reduce expenses and tragic issues. Consequently, it
will boost the country’s economy. Therefore, the benefits of the development
work can be best measured in terms of public health, environment, and economy.

5. Provide a short outline of your proposed study/research. This should be

written for an audience that does not have any prior knowledge of the
subject, and must not be overly technical. Any abbreviations or specialist
terms must be explained. (125 words)

Ans: outline:

I intend to do my research on intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for low-

income countries and formulating long-term planning to assure a sustainable
transportation system. To initiate my research, I would like to enhance my
knowledge through the Masters level coursework and intense reading regarding
smart infrastructure, smart vehicles, and vehicular connectivity, advanced traffic
management system along transport planning. Later, by developing research
methodology, the required software skills for programming, transport
modeling, and traffic simulation will be learned, and as well as the research
work will be in progress. Afterward, the level of sustainability in transportation
can be attainable through ITS in low-income countries with the present state
will be taken place. Lastly, according to the results, long-term planning for
sustainable transportation will be prepared. 

6. Provide a detailed plan of your proposed study. The selection panel will
want to understand why you have selected your proposed course and
university.  
Describe clearly:

 why you have chosen your proposed course and university and why you
want to undertake this study in the UK 
 what it is that you are looking for in a course and how your chosen
course relates to your objectives
 any dissertation topic you have in mind
 (300 words)

Ans.

The UK is one of the most diversified countries. It attracts students from every
corner of the globe. To my knowledge, people coming to the UK from
overseas live a healthy and secure life there. The natives are more tolerant
towards foreigners and most importantly, the place is less vulnerable to
racism. Therefore, I believe, I will find a safe and friendly environment for both
study and living.  Secondly, the higher employability rate, highly qualified and
responsive professors; and part-time work opportunities for full-time
university students are the reasons to choose the UK for higher studies. Lastly
and most importantly, the one-year Master's program will save my time and I
will be able to get involved either in further studies or work earlier than my
peers who will be pursuing the same program in a different country as most of
the universities of other countries offer two years Masters program.

MSc (Eng) in Transport Planning and Engineering at the University of Leeds

contains everything that I was looking for to proceed with my research career
in Transportation sector and to work for the development of the transport
sector in my home country. I highly expect that I will be able to apply the new
and unique transport planning techniques along with the appropriate
engineering solution that will be taught in the course. The core modules
contain ‘Shaping Future Transport System’, ‘Transport modeling’, ‘Transport
data collection and analysis and ‘Transport Engineering’ are the concepts
required to conduct my research for low- and middle-income countries.

Nowadays, ITS is considered to be the future of the transportation system.

However, shaping it for low-income countries will require vast data collection
and analysis, rigorous modeling, and engineered solution. Therefore, the
selected course offered by the University of Leeds is the most suitable course
for me.

7. The selection panel will want to understand how your proposed study
will assist you in your career. Describe the skills that you expect to gain
from this scholarship, and your career plans once you return home
afterwards.
 Objectives during the Award *

(250 words)

From the very beginning of my undergraduate course in civil and environmental

engineering, I was determined to work in the transportation sector. This
scholarship will support me to emphasize more on my learnings from the
course I applied for rather than bearing my expenses. I cannot afford the tuition
fees and living costs at such an esteemed university in the UK without the
scholarship. Thus, this scholarship is the main source of funding to assure my
proposed study plan and career.

Availing the prestigious award will not only assures my study plan at Leeds but
also will allow me to access many resources. Using my study travel allowance, I
will be able to attend relevant seminars and industrial tours, which will help me
to gather practical knowledge regarding transport planning.

My career plan includes robust and sustainable planning for the transportation
sector in low- and middle-income countries, which includes my home country
as well. In Bangladesh, the crisis in the transport sector is ever-expanding due
to regular traffic congestions, increasing fatalities on roads, rails, and
waterways, and many more. For the country, I plan to do the transport planning
as a whole and setting robust engineered solution for each of the problems (so
far) so that the sector can be reshaped in a better, resilient, and
environmentally friendly manner which will always be ready to withstand any
hazards in a short time. I highly expect that the course will make me prepared
for such an immense duty.
 8. Career Plans in the 5 years following the Award *

(250 words)

While pursuing my masters, in the coming year, I will be dynamic as possible

for regular industrial visits and relevant project works so that I may have a good
grip over the practiced engineered solutions for any sort of problems related to
the sector, such as congestion, routing, mode of transport, control delays,
traffic management etcetera. In the meantime, I expect to gain the skills for
planning and policy from the coursework and as well as from the regular
discussion with my professors. In the following year, by completion of the
degree, I will be returning to my home country and will join as a transport
planner to gain some real-world experience. Simultaneously, I will prepare a
draft plan to address the existing transport issues and how to proceed with the
reshaping transportation concepts I learned throughout my course. By this
time, I will prepare for my Ph.D. research proposal which will be concentrating
on ‘Integration of intelligent infrastructure and intelligent pavements to lessen
roadway fatalities’. In Bangladesh, people are encountering a growing number
of road accidents day by day. Property and life loss due to less maintained and
expired vehicles, drivers, speeding up, violation of traffic regulations,
inadequate lane markings are more. Thus, in my Ph.D. for the next 3 or 4 years,
I will be concentrating on lessening the mentioned issues through smart
infrastructure and pavements to reduce life and property loss in roadway
transportation. 

9. Long-term Career Plans *

(250 words)

Addressing the subjects regarding transportation planning, policymaking, and

producing engineered the solution are my long-term goals, for which, I may
have to work both in academia and industry, since, producing country-specific
solutions and ensuring their best possible implications will require me to work
in both.
I will be working as a transport planner and policymaker in my home country.
To my opinion, problems related to roadway transportation should be
addressed first. Thus, I plan to make district-wise planning for the best
possible transportation modes. For example, if I begin with the capital of the
country, people are suffering more for increasing number of passengers in
public transits and roadway hazards. Therefore, introducing some other modes
of transportation like mass rapid transit and circular transportation system
using waterways may work to shift a large number of passengers, hence,
releasing congestion on roadways. Similarly, the other congested big cities will
be assessed for an alternative mode of transportation afterward. Then, I will
start planning for uninterrupted transportation in remote areas. Finally, I plan
to bring resilience to the whole country’s transportation sector, and that too
incorporates mitigation measures for meeting crises. In the meantime, I will be
working as a researcher also. I will be publishing my works so that the
measures, worked for my country can be implemented in other low- and
middle-income countries as well for similar transport issues. After that, I will be
working for other countries as well to bring global prosperity to the transport
sector.

Summarise the ways in which your personal background has encouraged you to
want to make an impact in your home country. You should indicate areas in
which you have already contributed, such as having overcome any personal or
community barriers to higher education

Personal Statement *

(500 words)

Coming from a conservative middle-class family, I struggled a lot to achieve

both of my graduate degrees. However, my struggles had never been succeeded
to drag me away from study, rather boosted my courage to learn more and do
more for my passion. My hard work, dedication, and determination always
showed me the path.
My fascination with transportation grew more while doing my undergraduate
research in EEE regarding hybrid electric vehicles. I found that there were
already several pieces of research and implications related to the production of
clean energy in Bangladesh which government can opt for. Nevertheless, the
ever-increasing transport issues were crossing boundaries regardless of having
large government investment for the development of the sector. Thus, the daily
sufferings of people and the intensity of the problem encouraged me to do an
impactful contribution to the transportation sector.

In CEE, my passion for transportation research intensified whilst progressing

towards the coursework regarding transportation engineering. I am
enthusiastically waiting to start a research career in the aforementioned field
and produce practical and impactful solutions to transportation issues in low-
and middle-income countries. Hence, I am in search of opportunities to
enhance my knowledge and skills through postgraduate studies to accomplish
my goals.

My research idea incorporates reshaping of the transport sector using

intelligent transportation systems (ITS) which have to be practical and
affordable for low-income countries. Providing mass rapid movement facilities,
increasing vehicle efficiency, advanced traffic management, electrification of
infrastructures of both roadway and railway, rerouting of congested roadways,
shifting passengers from roadways to other modes of transport; are the areas
where I want to introduce ITS to ease it.

To initiate my research career, I wrote a research paper relating to Connected

and Autonomous Vehicles. My thesis entitled, “Connected and Autonomous
Vehicles (CAV) Technology with Intersection Management Techniques: A review”
include components of CAV, AV Sensory system, inter and intra Vehicular
Communication, intersection management with CAV and a few future research
directions. The thesis paper required me to acquire knowledge regarding
transportation modeling, transportation safety, traffic management, and ITS.
Earlier, I planned to do traffic micro-simulation including different levels of AVs
and CAVs using PTV Vissim software for a complex intersection in my country
to assess the practicability of ITS here. The plan was to insert varying
percentages of AVs in the roadway. Then inserting some sophisticated
communication system followed by several other modes of transportation such
as motorcycle, buses, etcetera, and the simulation result would be analyzed
lastly for the assessment. The work remained incomplete due to a lack of
resources. Nevertheless, I gained a conceptual understanding of transportation
planning and traffic simulation through this work.

To conclude, I would like to include that exploring a vast range of subjects in

both of my undergraduate programs; I found transportation planning and
engineering is the most challenging field to work in. My undergraduate training
has sufficiently built my confidence to perform well in this sector. Additionally,
the postgraduate course will fill the gaps of my wanting knowledge. 

10. Summarise the ways in which you have engaged in voluntary

activities and the opportunities you have had to demonstrate leadership.
(500 words)

Ans.

I was involved in voluntary work from the very beginning of my schooling. In

the nursery classes, we were encouraged to know the flowers and fruits directly
from the school garden. We, the children were given a piece of land to do the
plantation and maintenance of the plants voluntarily. I actively and happily
participated in cleaning the garden, fertilizing the soil, clearing the walkways,
and watering the plants.

In our school, the school committee had to arrange cultural programs for Naval
officers and we were allowed to help the committee in preparing for the
program as voluntary work. I used to get involved in planning the day-long
program and also in guiding the cultural program participants in junior years
and lead the logistic team in senior years. These programs enhanced my
leadership and management skills a lot. In the school farewell program, I was
highly appreciated for my excellent performance in these types of voluntary
work and entitled ‘Sher-e-Banglar Natni’ which means granddaughter of the
great Sher-e-Bangla A. K. Fazlul Haque.

In my college (Higher Secondary) days, I joined Bangladesh National Cadet Corp

(BNCC) where I got cognitive and physical training for emergencies, such as
natural disasters and wars for around six months. Just after my training, I got
the chance to be a volunteer to help the victims of the tropical cyclone Aila, in
May 2009. I, with my BNCC team, reached the remote areas of the coastal
districts using Nouka (boats), where other modes of transportation were totally
broken. I got involved in rescuing the victims who were trapped in the high
surge, taking them to the nearby safe zone, providing first-aid, food, and
water. This experience made me more empathetic to people, boosted my love
for my countrymen, and most importantly, taught me the importance of having
uninterrupted transport facilities throughout the country and alternative modes
of transportation for emergencies.

In my undergraduate years, I concentrated more on helping people for their

mental well-being and tutoring financially challenged children in the
neighborhood. I passed my 6 months’ long vacation in developing my cognitive
skills through reading books regarding human psychology, for example,
‘Thinking Fast & Slow' by Daniel Kahneman, ‘Influence: The Psychology of
Persuasion’ by Robert Cialdini and ‘Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter
more than IQ' by Daniel Goleman. I applied these skills voluntarily by
counseling some female youngsters (5 in number) who had suicidal tendencies
due to several issues like, bullying, aggressive parents. I kept counseling them
for several months and could successfully drag them out from depression.
Simultaneously, I spent a lot of time tutoring nearby children who could not pay
for schooling and continued that until getting into work-life.

Note: Sher-e-Bangla A. K. Fazlul Huq, was a Bengali statesman and jurist who
served as the first Prime Minister of Bengal. “Sher-e-Bangla” (Tiger of Bengal)
was such kind of a leader who did a very useful and important political, social ,
and educational contribution for the people of the sub-continent.