BU-IED, jointly with Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), UNESCO, and the Daily Star, hosted a Roundtable on Education on 28 April 2007 at Hotel Sheraton. Over 30 invited participants including senior government officials, former Ministers of Education and Members of the Council of Advisers, civil society leaders and academics joined in the roundtable, which was moderated by Mr. Mahfuz Anam, the Editor of the Daily Star. Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, Director, BU-IED, presented the background paper to kick off the discussion, highlighting "where we are" in education and "major action points." The event received considerable attention of the print and the electronic media.
The Roundtable was a key event of the Education for All Global Action Week, which was observed worldwide to raise awareness and renew commitment for achieving the Education for All Goals and fulfilling the right to education. The Roundtable was preceded by three thematic forums on preschool and primary education, secondary and technical/vocational education and literacy and non-formal education held on 25 and 26 April at the Spectra Centre, organized jointly by BU-IED, CAMPE and UNESCO. Each of the three sessions drew over a hundred participants and was addressed by policy-makers, practitioners and representatives of non-governmental organizations. BU-IED prepared and presented an issues paper for each of the forums.