On a clear evening in a small town in Bangladesh, a child stands outside and looks up at the sky. The stars are visible, scattered across the darkness. She wonders what they are. Are there worlds beyond them? Has anyone from her country ever touched that sky? She returns home with curiosity but without answers. In the division where she lives, there is no planetarium, no observatory, no space museum where imagination meets explanation. Without exposure to such tools, how can she dream or imagine? And without such tools, how can a nation create scientists?
Planetariums are not luxury entertainment halls. They are scientific classrooms. When the lights fade, the domed ceiling transforms into a galaxy, and a narrator explains the mysteries of the universe in simple language. Students travel through the solar system without leaving their seats. Interactive science exhibits allow children to experiment with gravity, light, and motion. Telescopes offer real-time views of the moon’s craters. Space museums display models of rockets, satellites, and planetary systems. Through these, science no longer remains abstract; it becomes tangible, exciting, and human.
Dhaka has had a functioning planetarium since 2004. Rajshahi added one in 2023. The ones in Barishal and Rangpur are under development. But progress generally remains stalled. The Khulna project, though prepared earlier, was not carried forward. Chattogram, Sylhet, and Mymensingh still wait for initiatives that have not begun. For a nation of more than 170 million people and millions of school students, four functioning and/or developing planetariums are not enough. Vast regions remain without access to scientific infrastructure that other countries consider essential.
Even most governments in our region treat science centres as long-term national investments. India operates more than two dozen major planetariums across its states. Many are directly supported by state science departments. Indian space agency programmes frequently collaborate with these institutions to inspire school students. India’s annual space budget is estimated at over $1.5 billion, and its achievements now include lunar landings and Mars missions. These accomplishments did not begin in laboratories alone; they began with generations of students inspired by science education via public outreach.
Malaysia maintains its National Planetarium under its science ministry as a formal public education institution. Singapore associates its science centre and dome theatre closely with schools, ensuring students regularly visit them as part of learning programmes. Thailand operates its Bangkok Planetarium under the education ministry, continuously modernising its projection systems. Sri Lanka, despite economic constraints, maintains a national planetarium and periodically upgrades its facilities. These countries understand something fundamental: scientific curiosity must be cultivated deliberately and nationally.
Globally, space research and astronomy are no longer symbolic pursuits. The US has allocated around $25 billion this year for NASA. China invests heavily in lunar exploration and space stations. The United Arab Emirates, once without a space presence, successfully sent a probe to Mars’ orbit in 2021.
Despite Bangladesh launching a communications satellite, national research and development spending remains a small fraction of GDP. Without consistent investment in science literacy and inspiration, talent risks remaining dormant. A scientific society is not built overnight; it is nurtured through institutions that encourage and satisfy curiosity.
Consider what a divisional planetarium could mean in Khulna, Sylhet, or Chattogram. A student from a coastal district might see a simulation of climate systems and decide to study environmental science. A teenager from the CHT might watch a presentation on astrophysics and choose physics as his major. A school group visiting an observatory might witness Jupiter’s moons through a telescope and realise that astronomy is not distant mythology, but a measurable reality. These are not hypothetical transformations. In Rajshahi, teachers have reported increased interest in science fairs and astronomy clubs following the opening of its planetarium.
A modern divisional planetarium would include a full-dome digital projection theatre capable of displaying immersive space journeys, a science gallery filled with interactive exhibits, a simulation theatre presenting planetary exploration experiences, and a rooftop observatory for live skywatching. Adjacent facilities could house a space museum explaining satellite technology, conducting robotics demonstrations for students, and have lecture halls to host science workshops. Schools would schedule regular visits. Parents would bring children along on the weekends. Thus, science can become a part of public culture.
The issue today is not a lack of design but a lack of continuity. With the Dhaka and Rajshahi planetariums operational, and after the projects in Barishal and Rangpur began, the momentum slowed. Khulna’s prepared project was not advanced further. The ones in Chattogram, Sylhet, and Mymensingh remain without concrete steps. The current government has the opportunity to restore this focus. Reviving the Khulna project would signal commitment to regional equity for scientific access. Initiating new development proposals for the remaining divisions would also demonstrate long-term planning beyond short-term priorities.
Equally important is constant engagement and improvement. Planetariums must actively partner with schools, offer subsidised access to students, organise astronomy nights, host science festivals, and promote programmes through media campaigns. When parents understand the value of scientific exposure, participation grows. When teachers integrate these visits into coursework, curiosity deepens. When young people see their peers presenting robotics projects under the same dome that displays distant galaxies, their own ambition feels attainable.
But how can young people dream of exploring space if they have never seen it properly explained? How can they aspire to become astronomers, engineers, or researchers if there is no place in their region that makes scientific knowledge attainable? A planetarium in every division does not mean extravagance, but rather an investment in knowledge expansion and critical thinking. It will mean preparing for a world increasingly shaped by science and technology.
When a child steps under a planetarium dome and sees the universe unfold, something shifts. The sky is no longer distant. It becomes reachable. And nations that help their children reach for the stars find themselves rising with them.
Md Shahnawaz Khan Chandan is assistant professor at the Institute of Education and Research in Jagannath University.
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
Follow The Daily Star Opinion on Facebook for the latest opinions, commentaries, and analyses by experts and professionals. To contribute your article or letter to The Daily Star Opinion, see our guidelines for submission.
