IUB hosts Career and Networking Day with participation of 60 firms

Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) organised its annual Career and Networking Day on 20 May 2026, bringing together more than 60 organisations from different sectors to connect students with employers.

The day-long event was organised by the university's Office of Career Guidance, Placement and Alumni Relations and featured networking, CV collection, training sessions and on-campus interviews.

The opening ceremony, held at the Multipurpose Hall, was attended by Prof Dr M Tamim, Vice Chancellor of IUB, and Prof Dr Daniel W Lund, Pro Vice Chancellor.

Deans, faculty members and industry representatives were also present, including Shyamol B Das, Chief Executive Officer of upay, and Nishat Anwar, Head of Human Resources, City Bank PLC.

Speaking at the event, Prof Tamim said industry expectations had changed and employers now looked for job-ready graduates.

"Industry expectations have changed; they do not have the time to train someone for a year or two. They want job-ready people. That is why we have done a skill mapping, so that students have all the necessary skills and tools when they join a company," he said.

He also urged students to develop critical thinking skills as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the job market.

"Which kinds of jobs will be taken over by AI? The first to disappear will be the repetitive ones. If you are highly skilled only in repetitive work, your job may eventually be replaced, because AI was created not to innovate, but to perform repetitive tasks more efficiently than humans," he said.

"Companies will look for efficiency and cost savings. That is why you must develop critical thinking skills – areas where innovation and human judgment are still essential," he added.

Drawing from his experience on interview boards, Prof Lund encouraged students to identify the qualities that make them stand out.

"There is something about some candidates that you just know is right. Employers know what I am talking about, but students may not know it yet. Whatever that something is, find it within yourself – find the quality that makes you distinguishable and different from others," he said.

He also urged industry representatives to help students understand what employers look for in candidates.

Speaking to students, Shyamol B Das said companies in the fintech sector need people who understand how the next generation will behave and how technology can be used effectively.

"Everyone does not have to be a technologist; but you must learn to embrace technology," he said.

Nishat Anwar said students should begin preparing for their future early.

"Every time I come to a university, it reminds me of a simple truth: the future you think about is not really what it is. You need to build your future, and you have to start early," she said.

Participating organisations represented sectors including banking and financial services, FMCG, consulting, ICT, pharmaceuticals and NGOs. Several organisations conducted walk-in interviews and skill development sessions throughout the day.

From the banking and financial institutions sector, City Bank PLC, bKash, Prime Bank, IDLC, Nagad, Bengal Commercial Bank and upay set up stalls and interacted with students.

Participating companies from the FMCG sector included Kazi Farms, Square Food and Beverages Limited, ACI PLC, M M Ispahani Limited, Transcom Beverages Limited and Transcom Electronics Limited.

The pharmaceuticals sector was represented by Renata PLC, The ACME Laboratories Ltd, Popular Pharmaceutical PLC and Naafco Pharma PLC.

Other participating organisations included Meghna Group of Industries, BRAC, AkijBashir Group, Anwar Group of Industries, Aamra Companies, Bikroy.com, Grameen Healthcare Limited (Shukkhee), Karnaphuli Group, Institute of Chartered Secretaries of Bangladesh, Safwan Bashundhara Global, ABC Limited, Rahimafrooz (Bangladesh) Limited, Confidence Batteries Limited, Confidence Cement Dhaka Limited and Concord Group of Companies.

Mohammad Manjurul Haque Khan, Director of the Office of Career Guidance, Placement and Alumni Relations, said the annual event reflects IUB's efforts to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry expectations.

Thanking the participating companies, he said, "This is a reflection of your commitment to creating future-ready talents, to our society and to our nation as a whole."

City Bank PLC and Nagad were the co-sponsors of the event, while Fresh was the beverage partner. News24, The Business Standard and Bonik Barta were the media partners.

The inaugural session was moderated by Al-Zawad Islam Shadman, a student from the Department of Management Information Systems.