Dhaka University (DU) will hold its 50th convocation today.  The university, which started on July 1, 1921, is only four years away from celebrating its century.
According to university sources, this is the 11th convocation of DU in the independent country. In British period, 24 convocations were held. While the country was East Pakistan, 15 convocations were held.
In the British period, the first convocation was held on February 22, 1923, and the last one in 1946. The first one in East Pakistan was held in 1948 and the last one was in 1970.
After the independence of Bangladesh, DU made all preparations to hold its 40th convocation on August 15, 1975, when the father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman, was scheduled to attend the programme.
But it was cancelled after Sheikh Mujib was killed on that day. The first (40th) convocation of DU was finally held on December 18, 1999.
This year, the number of graduates is 17,875. Along with the regular students, students of the evening courses and other educational institutions under DU will also get their degrees. Besides, 80 accomplished
teachers and students will be given 94 gold medals; 61 will get their PhD degrees and 43 will get their MPhil.
Chancellor Abul Hamid will announce the degrees and later hand over the Doctor of Science degree to the speaker of this year’s convocation. Sources said the university has finished all preparations to hold the 50th convocation at the central playground of the university.
DU proctor M Amzad Ali told The Independent, “We have made all preparations to hold the 50th convocation. There will be scouts, BNCC and security forces to ensure that it goes smoothly.”
Amit Chakma, president and the chancellor of the University of Western Ontario, will attend the convocation as the speaker this year.
Chakma is a Bangladeshi. “It will be an inspiration for our new graduates to take themselves forward. I want to congratulate the graduates and hope they will serve the country honestly,” he said.
DU vice-chancellor Prof. AAMS Arefin Siddique said the convocation day is one of the most valuable days to students as they enter a new life after finishing their education on this day.
DU started distributing convocation robes among the students on February 28. The campus has been in a festive mood from that day.