Respect for teachers gradually shrinking due to activities of some VCs: President

President M Abdul Hamid has asked the university authorities to ensure transparency and accountability in all activities as he addressed the Dhaka University’s 53rd Convocation Ceremony on Saturday.

“Transparency and accountability must be ensured in every work of the university,” President Abdul Hamid, also the chancellor of the university, told the function, where he also put emphasis on giving priority to merit and competence in any recruitment, including the recruitment of teachers.

“Create a suitable environment for students to study and do research … so that they (learners) don’t have to go abroad for it,” he added.

The function was held at the Dhaka University central playground in a festive mood spreading the whole campus.

The president urged the university teachers to come forward for the welfare of the country by utilising the talent and innovative capability of the young researchers.

Under the leadership of the vice-chancellor and the cooperation of all concerned, including students and teachers, every university will become a centre of excellence in research and higher education in days to come, the he hoped.

The chancellor expressed his grave concern over some media reports on a section of vice-chancellors and teachers and said, “The place of respect for teachers in the society is gradually shrinking due to various controversial activities of some teachers.”

He said care should be taken that the dignity of the entire teaching community is not undermined due to the activities of a few dishonest people.

Noting that some teachers consider the university job as an optional duty, the president said they (those teachers) prefer teaching part-time courses or taking classes in private universities.

Terming all university teachers as ‘meritorious and the best students’, Abdul Hamid said, “I believe, everyone expects that you would be able to make success in any field.”

Blessed with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s work and competent leadership, Bangladesh would turn into a “Smart Bangladesh” from the “Digital Bangladesh” within some days, the president said, adding: “But even in this digital era, complaints are often heard that students are being neglected and getting harassed at various levels, including from the admission process to issuing certificates.”

The head of the state asked the university authorities to introduce ‘Career Planning Unit’,  ‘One Stop Service Centre’ and ‘Counselling and Support Centre’ to provide desired services to students.

Simultaneously, he thanked the university authorities for launching Loss Recovery Plan, organising Research-Publication Fair and ‘Student Promotion & Support Unit’ as an initiative to reduce session jam in the universities.

President Hamid also said Dhaka University is not only an institution of higher education, but also a symbol of the country’s leadership and the ‘nucleus’ of every Bengali movement, including Language Movement and War of Liberation.

The nation has a lot of expectations from Dhaka University, which was once known as the ‘Oxford of the East’. The university would play the due role in fulfilling it, he hoped.

President Hamid reminded that many leaders who led the country, especially Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, were enlightened with the education of Dhaka University.

Congratulating the graduates, the chancellor said graduates should be careful not to keep limited their studies to convocation and certificates only.

Each graduate should always keep him or her engaged in the welfare of the country and its people, and contribute more effectively in building a society based on truth and justice, the president said.

Welcoming convocation speaker Nobel Laureate professor Jean Tirole, the president said, “I believe, your presence will enrich and inspire the young graduates to work for the welfare of mankind and society.”

While addressing the ceremony, Convocation Speaker professor Jean Tirole said the graduates should develop self-confidence, sense of responsibility and the ability to make right decisions at the right time to achieve success in their careers as well as to do something for the wellbeing of all.

Putting emphasis on proper management in this regard, he said, “If you work hard in a planned way, it is possible to reach the desired goal.”

The Nobel Laureate praised Bangladesh for achieving extraordinary success and progress in the field of socio-economic development.

He said, “Your new degree not only comes with many opportunities but also some duties. As convene of the University of Dhaka, you would have to relentlessly represent the excellence of your inspiration.”

“You graduated today at the time when the world scientists have more than ever a need of good policy ... how can we manage the digital revolution to benefit society and protect consumers, workers and citizens, how can we fight climate change to protect and respect the planet and its population and finally, how can we guarantees and increasingly complex financial system,” added the convocation speaker.

Bangladesh has got remarkable achievement in the last 15 years and you should be proud of it, he said, adding, “The country is also facing many challenges. You have to come forward as the rest remains for you.”

“You also the generation that will tackle many doubting but exciting challenges ... You must behave in a socially responsible way,” he said, urging the graduate to become better human being and better citizens and contribute to the construction of common good.

“Be brave and bold, behave in a socially responsible way and make the world a better place. Finally, you believe in yourself, your passion and environment will take you a long way,” he added.

DU VC professor Md. Akhtaruzzaman said the university is working relentlessly to help implement Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) keeping the creation of knowledge in mind.

On the other hand, it has taken the necessary steps to prepare its teachers, students and researchers so that they can adopt with the technological world order like the fourth industrial revolution, he added.

Efforts are being made to determine the roadmap for the university to move forward in the next hundred years keeping the multifaceted reality under consideration.

The ‘Master Plan’ of the university has been formulated taking the various academic needs for research and innovation into account as well as improving the quality of education.

Academic Development Plan has already been adopted with the aim of making the academic curriculum up-to-date, he said, adding, “A committee consisting of eminent teachers and researchers of the university is working to this end.”

Dhaka University, the oldest university in Bangladesh, held its 53rd convocation with the participation of 30,348 graduates and researchers on its campus.

For the students, it was a day full of laughter, hugs and celebration and above all pride for the students of Dhaka University as they have reached a milestone of their life.

DU-affiliated seven colleges participated in the convocation ceremony from two venues - Dhaka College and Eden Mohila College- through video conferencing.

Of the participants, a total of 22,287 students participated on the venue of Dhaka University and as many as 7,796 students took part in the programme from the Dhaka College and Eden College venues.

A total of 131 meritorious teachers, researchers and students were awarded 153 gold medals, 97 PhD, two DBA and 35 MPhil degrees.

An honorary doctorate degree was conferred to professor Jean Tirole in the convocation.

A total of 52 people have been awarded honorary doctorate degrees since the beginning of Dhaka University.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor professor Md. Akhtaruzzaman, Pro-VC (administration) professor Muhammad Samad and Pro-VC (education) professor ASM Maksud Kamal, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Cabinet members, national leaders, MPs, representatives of various diplomatic missions, DU Senate and Syndicate members and researchers, among others, were present there.