Spotlight

Happy Birthday to you, Dhaka University!

Feeda Hasan Shahed

To be able to write an article on the eve of the 86th birthday of the University of Dhaka is a dream-come-true matter for me. In fact, the pride and honour attached with this job exceeds my status of being a student of this outstanding institution.

I have always felt like grooming in ecstasy during my study days in the university. Nothing could be better than the heavenly spacious campus, the green environment and lively friend circles to glorify my educational life!

Today, the university is celebrating its 86th birthday. And to all the persons associated with the institutionfrom teachers to students to employeesit is a grand day to celebrate and cherish.

Before moving to other discussions, let us at first have a brief overview of the background of the University of Dhaka.

Established in 1921 under the Dacca University Act 1920 of the Indian Legislative Council, Dhaka University started its academic activities on 1 July 1921 with 3 faculties, 12 teaching departments, 60 teachers, 847 students and 3 residential halls. Today, there are 10 faculties, 48 departments, 9 institutes, 26 research centres, 1,345 teachers, about 25,000 students and 17 residential halls. Its faculty members have degrees from European, North American, Asian and Australian universities. Among them, many of them achieved international fame for their scholastic achievement.

The university authority's attempt to build up a high class academic achievement helped to earn the reputation of being the 'Oxford of the East'. The university also contributed to creating a generation of leaders who achieved great fame in different fields.

Dhaka University suffered a massive turmoil during our liberation war of 1971 when a large number of its distinguished teachers, students and employees lost their lives at the hands of barbaric Pakistani army. The teachers who were killed include world-class academicians like Dr. G C Dev, Dr. A N M Muniruzzaman, Santosh C Bhattacharya, Dr. Jyotirmoy Guha Thakurta, AN Munir Chowdhury, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury, Dr. Abul Khair, Dr. Serajul Hoque Khan, Rashidul Hasan, Anwar Pasha, Dr. Fazlur Rahman, Giasuddin Ahmed, Dr. Faizul Mohi, Abdul Muktadir, Sarafat Ali, Sadat Ali, AR Khan Khadim, and Anudippayan Bhattachariya. The university's chief medical officer, Dr. Mohammad Mortuza, and a teacher of the University Laboratory School , Mohammad Sadeq were also killed.

The university kept on demonstrating its class through its activities over these past 85 years. Today, it provides about 70% of the trained human resources of Bangladesh engaged in education, science and technology, administration, diplomacy, mass communication, politics, trade and commerce, and industrial enterprises in all sectors.

Now, here are the instant reactions of some distinguished people from different sectors regarding their institution of pride.

Prof. Dr SMA Faiz
Vice Chancellor
The 1st of July is a special day for all of us as it is 'the Dhaka University Day'. First of all, I would like to congratulate every student, teacher, and staff as well as all concerned parties who are associated with this university. In celebrating the University Day, I need the support from everybodyfrom the students, from the alumni, and from the media.

Students will come and enjoy the program spontaneously, there is no doubt about that. Dhaka University Debating Society will have its own programs. There will be TSC-based cultural programs also.

However, we are emphasizing on Tree Plantation Program to ensure the existing green environment of the campus. Dhaka University is green, and it is supposed to remain very green forever. If you want its academic and extra-academic growth, you have to ensure this greenery of the campus. Keeping pace with the growing population of the country, we need to adjust with the limited resources we have. For this we are downsizing trees in some areas but compensating it with massive Tree Plantation Program.

There were 852 students in the starting days of the university that has now grown over 32,000. The initial number of 60 teachers is now expanded to about 1400. The initial 12 departments have expanded into 55 departments and 3 faculties are converted into 10 faculties. There were 3 student halls and now we have 17.

In this scenario we all can see how huge this university has become today. On 1st July the program will be a memorable one I presume--with the presence of the present and past students and their spontaneous participation. Since 1921, there have been massive changes in this institution. Ex-students will be able to visit their departments and halls. If we get permission we are planning to have a rally participated by all the students-teachers-staff. The entire program has been organized in a short notice, but I hope that with support from everybody it would eventually turn out to be an excellent one.

Prof A F M Yusuf Haider
Pro Vice Chancellor
First of all I congratulate everyone associated with the university on the eve of the 86th anniversary of the University of Dhaka . The cherished dream of the people of the East Bengal was materialized by the establishment of this university in 1921. Besides its educational service, it has been constantly spreading knowledge through research and development. It has the tradition for creating new knowledge and practice.

Who can deny that the main characteristic of this institution is its great participation in the political processes of this country starting from 1947 to the liberation war starting in 1971. Later, in the development of the country it left many remarkable marks. University of Dhaka is an extra ordinary institution and its comparison can be made only by comparing it with itself.

Many renowned persons have been educated here and the process is ongoing. Our students are continuously making outstanding contributions both nationally and internationally. And once again, I wish them all the success.

On the 1st July, the University Day, the program will let everyone know about the present, past and future of the university. I congratulate all students-teachers and staff of the university on the eve again.

Prof. Syed Abul Kalam Azad
Treasurer
I am very happy today as a member of the Dhaka University familyespecially due to this fact that I have this chance of actively participating in the celebration process. I hope that the present and the ex-students would celebrate the program spontaneously and would be able to discover the much required nostalgia regarding their student career in this university.

On the eve of the 86th anniversary, I congratulate all students, teachers, and staff--plus everyone concerned who are associated with the university.

A. F. Shahed Ali
Senior Vice President, Dhaka University Alumni Association
Personally, it is indeed a moment of immense pride for me as my association with this university has been a never-ending one. Ever since I enrolled myself in the Political Science department way back in 1960, I have never spent a single moment without activities in and outside the campus. Having got the rare fortune of serving the famous S M Hall as an elected General Secretary in 1964, and subsequently taking part in anti-Ayub movement of that decade, I pay my homage to those days that shaped our national and cultural identity as a nation. And I feel further elated that I have been a part and parcel of that auspicious process as a Dhaka University student. Therefore, Dhaka University is just not just a university for me; it has been my soul, my second-self.

Today, I recall with respect all the noble men and women who have enriched Dhaka University with all their dreams and talents.

Owing to the tremendous professional pressure, my active involvement with my alma mater occasionally got bit inactive, but that did not anyhow make me lose my heart's bonding with it. Now that I am associated with the Alumni Association as a senior Vice President for two successive terms, I am trying to give my best possible efforts for the academic and otherwise development of the campus. I want Dhaka University to be the same old prosperous alma mater for every future generation to come.

86 years in a human being's life is a pretty long time, but it isn't so anyway when you talk of an institution. So, to me Dhaka University is very young. I hope to see our university live on for at least 300-400, or even 700 years. In the western countries, many universities have been functioning for 400-500 years.

Today, my first feeling is to congratulate the youth of this university. I see the expression of youth in every place herein every grass, branch, leaf, in every brick. Dhaka University students are, in Tagore's words, notun jouboneri doot (ambassadors of the fresh youth). And Justifiably so. This institution has led the political movements in this country. Our students fought for the liberation of this country, fought for the rights of the mother tongue. And even now our students are giving all the support to the revival of the kind of democracy we dream of. I am sure the leadership of the future will mostly come from this university maintaining its past glory.

The second feeling that I have is of a bit of regret. This university, with all the capabilities that it has, with all the promises that it showed in the beginning, has fallen behind. Our education has not been of the universal standard. I ascribe this to the economic and other conditions of the country. I also blame the overall political atmosphere of the country, which prevented many meritorious people from joining the Faculties. I also blame the inactivity of the whole community in promoting the kind of atmosphere of excellence that a university deserves. But that is the phase hopefully we are leaving behind. As we move on towards the years of new millennium, I am sure a new consensus will emerge to take this university to the level it should have been taken.

My third feeling is of concern. I see attempts from different quarters, including this government, to impose a kind of authoritative restriction upon this university. It is true that we have abused the provisions of 1973 Ordinance. But the abuse of an order of a system does not imply the system's failure. It implies our inability to accept the terms and orders as a community. But I see many young faculties of the university have the desire to put things in the right track. In the hands of these young academicians of the present and future I hope the 1973 Ordinance will function to its fullest capabilities. So I urge the government not to think of the university as “just another” government department. It needs freedom. It's a place for creating new knowledge and disseminating that knowledge. And we need the atmosphere of total freedom. Just because some people abuse the freedom does not mean that freedom is not required.

In other universities of the world the governments are not directly involved. So my concern is university should not turn into a national university kind of institution.

H M Mosarrof Hosain
Assistant professor, Finance Department
Actually it's a pride to be a student as well as a teacher of this university. So by the grace of Allah, I have been able to achieve my target and fulfill my objectives.

I think it is the top educational institution in the country. It is the most spacious and the largest university. We have large number of students, teachers and employees. Being a public university some problem exists for example, it is under the control of the government. Though it has independent ordinance, if it can run without the intervention of the government then there is hope that this university can reach the world category.

And finally, on this great day of 1st July, I wish all students-teachers-staff and all parties concerned a grand day of celebration.

Md. Nazmuzzaman Bhuiyan
Asst Professor, Department of Law
It gives me enormous pleasure to say a few words on the 86th Birthday of the University of Dhaka, the premier institution of higher education in Bangladesh. University of Dhaka, since its inception, has been playing a significant role in imparting quality education and promoting intellectual expertise as one of the oldest University of south Asia. The challenging journey of the university during the last 86 years constitutes a vital part of the glorious history of our nation. While ensuring the qualitative standard of education, the university operated as a vanguard for democracy and free thought.

The role of the teachers and students of the university during the historic language movement of 1952 and also in the liberation war in 1971 are the examples of its being a vibrant entity for constructive engagement.

I really feel honoured to be a student and teacher of the Faculty of Law, which is one of the oldest faculties of this university. In the tumultuous journey, the Dhaka University has passed through many successes and failures, but its success had always triumphed over its failure. I hope our ongoing concern will go on upholding the heritage of this university, known as the Oxford of the East.

My best wishes for the University of Dhaka on its 86th Birthday.

Dr. Faheem Hasan Shahed
Alumni and Faculty of the English Department, AIUB
Let me be frank. During my studentship in Dhaka University, I hardly realized what I had been achieving there. The reason was clean-cut. I was pretty ordinary as a classroom-personality: a meek mid-bencher, a lackluster receiver, and a dumb speaker.

Outside the classroom, I was a wee bit okay. The corridors, the campus canteens, the halls, the tree-shades, the TSC, everywhere I used to be comfortable as a stray bird. And those were the places where I had earned something about life and living, attitudes and aspirations, sense and sensitivity, compassion and conviviality…and most importantly, about the world. Later in my PhD life in JNU, New Delhi, I discovered in every stage how I had carried with me an overwhelming shadow of my Dhaka University . This is what you call an alma mater, don't you?

Looking back to those days of glory, I also discovered the affection-clad presence of individuals like my favorite teachers Prof. Syed Manzoorul Islam, Prof. Fakrul Alam, and Prof. Aminul Islam (Philosophy) who keep showering even more unconditional support toward me now.

Dhaka University is on her 86th birth year today. Should I salute her in appreciation? Should I give a round of applause? Should I scream in excitement? I don't know. Prayers are all that I have in my heart for the place which will never die. Dhaka University will stand tall amid all oddities, I can guarantee.

Last words
In this mundane world, nothing practically survives. But the University of Dhaka has been an exception to this rule. It has not only survived, but also stood up against all adversities whenever our motherland needed it. In the passage of time, Dhaka University has rightfully earned the stature of our main state-building organization, and has been on its way to immortality. I am not exaggerating, am I?

writer to be reached at feeda_shahed@yahoo.com