Master of All Trades & Jack of None

Personal Statement – Max Bell School of Public Policy (MPP Program) @ McGill University

Dinner table debates defined the best memories of my childhood. There are unique perks in being born into a household which comprised of not only my parents and siblings, but fifteen members of my extended family. Conversing with people of varying perspectives over plates of food, brought with it a tenacity to give tangible weight to opinions that were different to mine. Therefore, I acknowledge the first 19 years of my life spent with family, as being fundamentally pivotal in shaping my interests.

I left Dhaka in September 2014 to start a Bachelor of Arts Program at the University of Toronto. Being enrolled in the social sciences as an international student, my experience was intensely multidisciplinary. At times being away from home in a rigorous academic environment did feel overwhelming – both mentally and academically. In its truest sense however, this experience was profoundly humbling and transitioned me towards being a passionate student of policymaking. The intersections across courses in political science, economics and international relations meant that I was attaining quantitative and qualitative knowledge regarding education policies, public health systems and electoral frameworks – three areas which have become interdependent subjects of interest over time.

By 2016 I realized that I needed a vicinity to channel information learnt in courses, towards framing policy narratives. Aiming to facilitate conversations regarding public policy matters in the Bangladeshi diaspora, I looked towards newspapers as a credible forum to pen down my perspectives. I started writing bi-weekly columns on public policy matters for The Daily Star and Dhaka Tribune, the two largest circulating English-language newspapers in Bangladesh. Since then, over 100 articles of mine have been published by these two newspapers. Challenging the status quo regarding systematic flaws in health, education and electoral policies, soon became a central theme across my writeups. In fact, the content of one such article titled Disengaged Voters in a Declining Democracy irked an MP of the ruling party to the extent, that he felt a need to give me a call. Neither did he mince words in warning me against openly critiquing the Government, nor did he pay any heed to the overwhelmingly positive reception which the article had received across social media. Since that day, I made a personal commitment to answer the following question to the best of my abilities – What role should social commentary play in strengthening democratic norms across public institutions?

Regrettably, writing articles on newspapers did not pay the bills. After graduating in 2018, I decided to try my hand in the private sector – and was hired by TD Bank Group. Being in a financial consultancy role has provided me with an innate understanding of the collective impact of both corporate and state-mandated financial policies on the day to day lives of regular citizens – something which we tend to overlook. As a frontline adviser during the pandemic, it was disheartening to witness the financial struggles of daily wage earners. Whether it be part-time students struggling to receive emergency subsidies or new immigrants unaware of redefined mortgage terms, I recognized the adverse effect of financial illiteracy in particular, on marginalized communities. I started asking myself – how can financial literacy programs and effective policy communication enhance public welfare?

In April 2020 these concerns were overshadowed by apprehension regarding the possible effects of COVID-19 on a disaster-prone Bangladesh – my family was at direct risk from the incapacities faced by local healthcare systems and if there was an opportunity to make a difference, I needed to act. Along with six friends, I co-founded a social incubator designed as a community movement – bringing together expats, citizens and youth groups, with the aim of directing tangible support towards Bangladesh. I facilitated 15 emergency response projects under the banner of the BacharLorai Movement (The Fight to Survive in Bengali) – taking a principal role in fundraising over 150,000 CAD to support the distribution of healthcare equipment and emergency resources to rural health centers and marginalized communities. Defining our scope of work was an underlying question – What role can community-driven strategies play in addressing public health needs?

As I was navigating through the challenges of managing resource transmission through digital avenues, another co-founder of BacharLorai, Anil Wasif, introduced me to the Max Bell School. Today, Anil is a couple of semesters away from completing the MPP Program. Having observed him advance as a policy enthusiast, I performed an in-depth research of the very program which was increasingly shaping him into an inspiring leader. The capstone element of the program called Policy Labs applies scenario-based exercises through partnerships with external organizations – this very component sets the program apart from others in Canada. As an innovative method to not only integrate real-life scenarios to in-class theory, the Policy Labs can also be a collaborative channel to understand the complexities of public policymaking. The program strikes a balance between teaching theory through seasoned academics, whilst simultaneously incorporating the viewpoints of professional practitioners in public policy through case studies – in a nutshell, the Max Bell School ticks all the boxes.

After attending Chris Ragan’s Webinar and reading essays published by MAX Policy, I was convinced that the structure of the Program would provide a key segue towards a professional career as a public servant. Following the completion of a post-graduate degree, I intend to join the Bangladesh Civil Service within the next four years – working towards strengthening local healthcare and education systems through policy innovation. As Chris rightly puts it, public policy is all around us. Whether it be Canadians or Bangladeshis, the post pandemic world will require us to collectively reimagine how and for whom policies are formulated – and at the core of this process, there will be an undeniable need for a diverse set of policy thinkers, makers and communicators. To put it bluntly, I aim to be a part of this very process of reforming our collective society.

Through my experiences, I have focused on being an inquisitive learner, a bold thinker and a communicator of ideas. Having developed the ability to constantly ask questions regarding institutional policies, it is my aim to cultivate a career in seeking answers to those questions. I intend to devote myself full-time to a structured academic program which takes a multifaceted approach towards public policymaking – and I am certain that the Max Bell School’s MPP Program is indeed the next step in this journey.