Respect dwindling due to activities of some VCs, teachers: President at DU convocation

President Abdul Hamid on Saturday said transparency and accountability must be ensured in every university activity to ensure respect for teachers.

He was addressing Dhaka University's 53rd convocation held at the central field on the campus.

The president, who is also the chancellor of the university, presided over the grand event while Nobel laureate French economist Prof Jean Tirole joined it as the convocation speaker.

"When I open the newspaper, it seems that the main responsibility of some vice-chancellors is to give jobs to family members and loyalists and take administrative and financial privileges in various ways," he said.

Mentioning the supervision, management, evaluation and development of the administrative and academic activities of the university as a vice-chancellor's key responsibilities, the president said that respect for teachers in society is gradually shrinking due to the activities of some vice-chancellors and teachers.

He also emphasised taking care of the issues seriously as the dignity of the entire teachers' community can't be undermined due to the activities of a few dishonest people.

Hamid said many teachers also consider university jobs as an "optional duty" as they prefer to take part-time courses, evening courses or classes in private universities.

The president said it is the expectation of everyone that teachers will be responsible towards the profession as they are leading and respected figures in the society.

"We want every university to become the heart of research and academic education under the leadership of the vice-chancellor and with the cooperation of students and teachers," he said.

He also said that merit and qualification should be given priority in any recruitment including teachers.

Prof Jean Tirole, whose work had a significant impact across a wide range of fields within economics, including microeconomics, game theory, and industrial organisation, was awarded with a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) degree at the event as the 53rd awardee.

Convocation speaker Professor Dr. Jean Tirole has said university graduates need to have confidence, a sense of responsibility and the ability of taking the right decision at the right time to succeed in professional life. The Nobel laureate French economist spoke highly of Bangladesh's socioeconomic development.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman has elaborated on the plans and initiatives designed to promote research and innovation activities as well as improve quality of education at the university.A master plan and an academic development plan have been framed to turn the university into a centre of excellence befitting the need for the next one century, he said, adding that an initiative has been taken up to build a knowledge-hub and research-innovation campus in the Purbachal township in the city.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (administration) Prof Dr. Muhammad Samad, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (education) Prof Dr. A. S. M. Maksud Kamal also spoke at the ceremony moderated by university registrar Probir Kumar Sarker. Treasurer Prof Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, deans of different faculties, members of senate, syndicate and academic council were present.

Graduates, postgraduate students who registered for the convocation and invitees were allowed to attend the programme in-person in the main venue at the university's central playground and two other venues at Dhaka College and Eden College.

A total of 30,348 students registered for the convocation of whom 22,287 are from Dhaka University and 7,796 students from the affiliated colleges.  

A total of 153 gold medals were conferred on teachers, researchers and students for the research and academic excellences. Besides, 97 received the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree while 35 academics MPhil degree.