Dhaka University (DU) yesterday celebrated its 95th founding anniversary with the theme "higher education to resist terrorism and militancy and to flourish humanity", reports BSS. The university authorities chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day, popularly known as Dhaka University Day, with pomp and grandeur as the entire campus wore a festive look with illumination of university buildings and dormitories and their adornment with graffiti, festoons and balloons.
Established in 1921, DU is the oldest university of the country. It was called the "Oxford of the East" during its early years. Today, it is the largest public university in the country, with more than 35,000 students and about 2,000 teachers.
The day's programme began with the hoisting of the national flag and flags of university and halls at the university mall (Mall Chattar), adjacent to the Administrative Building at 10.15 am. Clad in colorful identical T-shirts and caps, the students of different dormitories joined the main festival at the Mall Square of the campus beating drums under the leadership of their respective dorm provosts. Vice-chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique formally inaugurated the daylong programme releasing pigeons and balloons in unison with the singing of inaugural song. Later, a colorful procession led by the VC was brought out from the Mall which terminated at the Teacher-Students' Centre (TSC) after parading different campus thoroughfares.
Teachers, senate and syndicate members, officers and employees, guests, students, BNCC, Rovers and Rangers units' members joined the rally. The day was also marked by a discussion at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) chaired by Professor Siddique. Noted cultural personality and DU Senate member Ramendu Majumder presented a keynote paper on the day's theme. "The emergence of terrorism, militancy and fundamentalism is not expected in the modern society," the VC said adding that military-backed rulers are responsible in the emergence of terrorism and militancy in the country. Prof Siddique said former military ruler Ziaur Rahman brought the opportunities for the killers of 1971 Liberation War and fundamentalists to do politics in the country by imposing martial law. "Founding a dormitory in the name of such human being is very shameful for us," he said. In his keynote paper Ramendu Majumder underscored the need for pursuing human values to prevent terrorism. He urged all irrespective of caste, creed and religion to make united efforts to resist terrorism and militancy.