DHAKA, July 1, 2024 (BSS) - Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today urged the young generation to play a leading role in building Bangladesh free from poverty, exploitation and discrimination by taking higher education and enlightening themselves.

 “Education makes people wise, skilled and full of values and thus, change is possible only through education. The youth should be empowered and enriched with higher education to fulfil their social responsibilities and work for the betterment of the backward sections of the society”, Dr Shirin Sharmin said.

The JS Speaker said this while addressing a discussion titled ‘Higher Education for Skill Development of Young Generation’ marking the 104th Dhaka University Day at Dhaka University campus, chaired by DU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr ASM Maksud kamal.

“One of the greatest periods of life is youth. This time should be wisely spent to sharpen the intellect and mind and be keenly intelligent”, said the speaker, calling upon the youth to be well-informed and to pursue higher education with commitment, dedication and tenacity”.

She said higher education is one of the major means of acquiring knowledge.
One goal of higher education is transactional, the other is transformational.

The first goal is to make students competent through skill-based education prepare for the workplace while the second purpose is to ensure complete human development of a student through the acquisition of knowledge and building capacity to cope up with all the challenges along with awakening human values and analytical skills, said Dr Shirin.

While addressing, DU VC Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal expressed his firm determination of transforming the Dhaka University into a top research-oriented university by 2035 and a research-led 'RI' (RI) category university by 2045.

To achieve the goals, 'Academic Master Plan' and 'Academic Development Plan' have already been introduced, said the VC requesting for everyone's cooperation in implementing these plans.

Dhaka University will be made into a unique university and international standard educational institution on the world education map through research, innovation and skill acquisition with the cooperation of national leaders, intellectuals, academics, researchers, alumni and businessmen.

Marking the day, earlier in the morning, teachers, students, officers and employees of the university, led by VC Dr Maksud Kamal brought out a colorful rally from university’s Smriti Chirantan Chatwar towards the Payra Chattar of the university's Teacher-Student Center (TSC).

Later, the university authorities celebrated the day with elaborate programmes including singing national anthem and university theme song, hoisting of national, DU and hall flags, releasing of pigeons and balloons and cutting of cake on the premises of Payra Chattar.

After the inauguration ceremony, a discussion was held in the TSC Auditorium at 10.30 am which was also addressed by DU Pro-VC (Administration) Prof Dr Mohammad Samad, Pro-VC (Academic) Prof. Dr. Sitesh Chandra Bachar, Benjir Ahmed MP, Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University Serajul Islam Choudhury, DU Alumni Association president Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury, DU Treasurer Prof Momtaj Uddin Ahmed and Bangladesh Chhatra League President Saddam Hussein.

Senate and syndicate members of the university, deans of various faculties, provosts of various halls, chairpersons of different departments along with teachers-students, alumni and officers-employees participated in the discussion.

At the beginning of the meeting, the cover of the second volume of the book titled 'Smaranika' and 'Dhaka University, History and Heritage' was unveiled.