DHAKA, July 1, 2024 (BSS) - Dhaka University (DU), the country's highest echelon of academic excellence, has celebrated its 104th founding anniversary and Dhaka University Day amid enthusiasm and festivity.

Marking the day, in the morning at 9:30 am, teachers, students, officers and employees of the university, led by Vice-Chancellor Dr Maksud Kamal gathered at the university's Smriti Chirantan Chatwar and then brought out a colorful rally towards the Payra Chattar of the university's Teacher-Student Center (TSC).

The residential halls, faculties and institutes participated in the rally with separate banners and arrangements making the university rally look so colourful and joyful.
 
Later, the university authorities celebrated the day on the premises of Payra Chattar with elaborate programmes including singing the national anthem and university theme song, hoisting of national, DU and hall flags, releasing of pigeons and balloons and cutting of the cake.

The theme for the year was "Higher Education for Skill Development of the Young Generation".

After the inauguration ceremony, a discussion was held at TSC Auditorium around 10.30 am which was addressed by Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury as chief guest.

Chaired by DU VC Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, the discussion 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.

While addressing, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury urged the country's 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 fulfill their social responsibilities and work for the betterment of the backward sections of society", said Dr Shirin.

"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 and prepare them 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 the firm determination to transform 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.

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.

Dhaka University started its academic activities on July 1, 1921, with 12 departments, three faculties, 60 teachers, 877 students, and three residential halls. It was built on about 600 acres of land.

The country's largest university now consists of 83 departments, 13 faculties, 12 institutes, 56 research bureaus and centres, 37018 students, and 1,992 teachers.

Since its inception, Dhaka University has made significant contributions to the development of the country.