Dhaka University
Nagad becomes DU's partner in centenary celebrations
Mobile financial service Nagad has become a part of Dhaka University's centenary celebrations.
"On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the university, we requested Nagad to decorate our campus while maintaining academic rules. Their effort is admirable. They showed how to decorate the campus with an academic flavour in an innovative way," DU Vice-Chancellor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman said Sunday.
As part of the celebrations, Nagad Managing Director Tanvir A Mishuk handed over the wristbands for DU students to Dr Akhtaruzzaman during a programme at the Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building today.
Also read: Centenary celebration of Dhaka University begins Wednesday
President Abdul Hamid, who is the chancellor of the university, inaugurated the four-day celebrations – themed "Dhaka University in the Light of Centenary" – on December 1.
The administrative building, Teachers-Student Centre, student dormitories and various installations of the university have been decorated with commemorative photos.
DU, which started its journey in 1921, completed its 100th year on July 1 this year. But the centenary celebrations were deferred due to the pandemic.
Also read: Nagad to sponsor DRU’s best reporting award
With a change in the situation, the university has started to celebrate its centenary through different programmes.
Tanvir A Mishuk, co-founder and managing director of Nagad, said, "It is a great achievement for the country as its lighthouse, the University of Dhaka, is celebrating its centenary. We are very happy to be part of the celebrations."
DU Centennial: 100 years through lenses
Dhaka University, country’s oldest public institution for higher studies, has stepped on to its 100 th year starting its journey back on July 1, 1921. The university is celebrating the centenary with much festivity and with an elaborate 16-day long programme on its campus from Dec 1 to Dec 16.
As one of the oldest educational institutes DU has witnessed and weaved stories of a nation throughout the years. To create a platform to showcase these stories, the Television, Film and Photography Department of the university arranged a Photography Exhibition at Teacher-Student Center (TSC) as a part of the celebration.
"Among 1,800 photos submitted by the current and former students, we have picked 100 to exhibit," said Habiba Rahman, Chairperson of the Television, Film and Photography Department at DU.
From them, we highlight 10 historic photos that we believe represent the history, nature and emotions involved with the university and nation.
Bangladesh
Photographer: Md Robiul Hossain, Women And Gender Studies Department
This photograph captured from the Dean Office-adjacent area of the Arts Building not only shows a mural but also represents a location witnessing many historic events of the country. This was the place where the first version of the Bangladesh flag designed by Shivnarayan Das was hoisted by ASM Abdur Rob, the then Vice President of Dhaka University Students' Union (DUCSU) on behalf of Swadhinata Sangram Parishad.
Dipu Moni urges Dhaka University to adopt an academic master plan
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Wednesday urged the Dhaka University authorities to conduct more researches on socio-economic fields and establish cooperation with reputed foreign universities for academic excellence.
This can be done under an academic master plan, she said while speaking at the centenary celebration of the country’s oldest university.
Read: Degrees not enough, achieve global standards, President tells DU students
She said the century-old university needs to restore its past glory through imparting quality education and conducting international standard researches.
She said that making a master plan on the academic programme is more important that a master plan on physical development.
The minister said the government will cooperate with the university if it adopts the academic master plan.
SSC examinee death: 300 booked for torching 8 buses in city
A police case has been filed against 250-300 unidentified people in connection with the recent torching of buses in the city's Rampura Bazaar area over the tragic death of an SSC examinee in an accident.
Sub-inspector AKM Niazuddin Mollah of the Hatirjheel police station, filed a complaint, based on which an FIR (which marks the beginning of a criminal probe) under the Explosive Substances Act was lodged on Wednesday.
The case has been filed against the accused for vandalising and torching vehicles, beating up some pedestrians, and creating panic among local people, as per the FIR.
Read: 8 buses torched in Rampura after SSC candidate run over
On Monday, Mainuddin Islam Durjoy, an SSC examinee, was run over by a bus around 10.45 pm in the Rampura Bazaar area near Better Life Hospital.
Mainuddin’s death triggered violence, leading to the torching of as many as eight buses by an angry mob.
Wall collapses at DU hall canteen; 2 injured
Two people were injured after a wall in front of the canteen counter at Kabi Jasimuddin Hall of Dhaka University suddenly collapsed on Monday.
The incident occurred around 1:30 pm when the students were having lunch, said Mobarak Hossain the canteen manager.
Both the injured were outsiders, confirmed the hall authority.
Also read: 5 freshmen beaten up at DU hall for hailing end to guest room culture
A canteen boy told UNB: “It was the peak time and we were serving meals to students when the tiny wall in front of the canteen counter collapsed.”
Some resident students of the hall said, “As the wall was small in size and it fell back no major casualties occurred but the scene could’ve been different if it collapsed on opposite side.”
We visited the canteen along with an engineer immediately after the accident said Professor Dr. Mohammad Abdur Rashid, provost of Kabi Jasimuddin Hall.
Also read: DU halls reopen for all students, but no more ‘gano rooms.’
A five-member probe committee led by Professor Mohammad Jahirul Islam was formed to investigate the incident, he said.
The committee was asked to submit a report within three working days, said Dr. Rashid.
National Professor Rafiqul Islam on life support, says family
National Professor Dr Rafiqul Islam has been on life support since Thursday at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital, according to his family.
“Our beloved Professor Rafiqul Islam was put on life support yesterday in a local hospital. He has been unwell for the last few months. Let us all pray for his recovery,” said Professor Imran Rahman, ULAB’s Vice-Chancellor on Friday.
Read: Renowned fashion photographer Chanchal Mahmood on life support
He was admitted to the hospital four days ago and got shifted to the High Dependency Unit of the hospital after his condition worsened, Barshan Islam, son of the eminent educationist said.
Barshan said the family wanted to take his father to India, but he refused.
According to the family, Rafiqul Islam wants to be treated in the country. He did not even want to come to Evercare Hospital and was willing to continue receiving treatment at BSMMU.
On October 7, the 87-year old National Professor was admitted to BSMMU with abdominal pain. After the examination, the doctors confirmed that water had accumulated in his lungs, which was extracted.
He started his glorious career in academia at Dhaka University in 1957 and taught Bengali and linguistic there till 1958 and then 1961 till 2004 as Senior lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor.
Read: Bangla Academy DG Sirajee on life support
Inducted as a National Professor in 2018, Prof Dr Rafiqul Islam later became head of the Bangla department at Dhaka University. Later, he became the Vice-Chancellor (2007-2011) of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
One of the most respected Nazrul researchers in the world, Rafiqul Islam was the first Nazrul Professor at the Bangla department of Dhaka University and the first director of the Nazrul Research Centre. He has penned about 30 books, including the first book on martyred intellectuals and the first book on the centenary history of Dhaka University.
For his excellence in the field of academia and culture, Professor Dr Rafiqul Islam has received Independence Award (2012), Ekushey Padak (2001), Bangla Academy Literary Award (1994) and International Mother Language Award.
Ridding campus of outside elements a test for DU authorities
What is the worst thing about being a female student of Dhaka University? One can hardly deny that it is their insecurity on the campus.
“One evening, I was going to my dormitory. As I walked to the dorm, I could sense a man following me. At one stage, he actually overtook me and turned towards me, blocking my path and staring at me nastily. I felt nauseous and started shouting. The nearby students approached and got me out of that situation,” said a female student of the university wishing not to be named.
This harrowing account of a female residential student's experience while living on the Dhaka University (DU) campus is far from unique, and many in fact experience far worse things. It's all part of life on a more-or-less open campus in the middle of a busy metropolis where crime and violence are rampant.
Read: Dhaka University 'Ga’ unit results out, pass rate 21.75%
But isn't it the responsibility of DU authorities to do everything they can to provide these students with a more agreeable and conducive environment for academic pursuits?
The same student whose account we started with also says: "In our campus, we don't feel safe. There’re too many outsiders, vagabonds, drug addicts, beggars, muggers and floating people causing all sorts of difficulties and distractions."
For the reasons of safety, she prefers not to give her identity.
But many students, some under their own names and identities, share similar experiences in multiple Facebook groups run by the students. Some of them even complain about being hijacked.
Nasir Uddin Prince, Master’s student of Television, Film and Photography, was a victim of a hijacking on the campus a few days back. He is also General Secretary of the Socialist Students Front’s central committee. The hijacker took away his camera, lens, battery, charger and some important documents.
After so many incidents, DU students are now demanding a collective campaign to drive out vagabonds, drug addicts, beggars, muggers and floating people from campus, and to restrict the movement of outsiders and heavy vehicles on the campus grounds. Though the authorities did not take any steps at first, some students started working spontaneously to this end. They have driven out vagabonds from the campus and forced many heavy vehicles to redirect.
Read: 2.56 per cent pass DU ‘Cha’ unit admission test
After a while, the DU authorities seemed to come to their senses and started working for a secure campus. Recently, the university authorities urged outsiders not to stay on the campus without any necessity, to ensure the safety of students.
They have also been conducting drives for the last few days to eject outsiders with the help of law enforcement agencies.
All the makeshift shops in front of the Suhrawardy Udyan gate inside the campus were removed during a drive on November 16.
Julius Caesar Talukdar, founder of Dhaka University Nirapotta Moncha, an organisation that works for the safety of DU students and a safer campus, told UNB: "The university authorities can take steps to control traffic jams, muggings, drug peddling in the campus area. Setting up check posts at every entrance point of the campus (including Shahbagh, Doyel Chattar, Nilkhet, and the Palashi intersection) will be very helpful for that."
Asked to comment, DU proctor AKM Golam Rabbani acknowledged that too many people were gathering on the DU campus, mostly having no business there. Although this only started happening 'recently' according to him.
"It harms the environment of an educational institution," lamented the proctor. "Our students were forced to take steps to defend themselves. Then we took the matter seriously and have already started ensuring a safe and education-friendly campus for the students."
Read: Two Class X students die in Chandpur road crash
Now even the state's law enforcers, in the form of DMP (Dhaka Metropolitan Police), are being reeled in to prevent heavy vehicles moving through the campus. Although the proctor was not too impressed with the police's ham-handed response, in which they passed the buck for preventing heavy vehicles plying the campus area to Dhaka Sarak Paribahan Malik Samity - an association of business owners in the transport sector.
"We’ve also eradicated the makeshift rickshaw stands from every entry point to the university," Proctor Golam Rabbani added, trying to assure they are taking the matter seriously.
Whether the measures taken are successful in solving the problem, only time will tell!
5 freshmen beaten up at DU hall for hailing end to guest room culture
Five students of Dhaka University's Sir AF Rahman Hall were allegedly beaten up by seniors, also Bangladesh Chhatra League activists, following a Facebook post on Thursday.
The victim students are-- Rubel Hossain and Al-Amin Hamid of Management department, Bulbul Ahmed and Rana Hossain of Islamic Studies department and Md Emdadul of Finance department. They all are first year students residing in the hall.
The accused students are Lalon Hossain of Geography and Environment department, Ariful Islam Arif and Asif Hossain of Marketing Department and Wajid Tawsif of Music Department. The accused are all second year students and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists.
Sources from the hall said recently, a first year student and resident of the hall was beaten up seriously. After that, the organizing secretary of BCL hall committee Saleh Uddin Saju issued an instruction to end the 'Guest Room culture' in the hall.
Read:Female student complains of harassment at DU dorm
The 'guest room culture' refers to a practice whereby senior students, particularly politically active ones -usually BCL leaders now- gather junior students in a hall room under the pretext of political sensitisation sessions to more casual get-togethers.
But these sessions have long been criticized as the setting for seniors to harass and torture junior students physically and mentally.
That's why residents of the hall posted their positive reactions on Facebook to the instruction by Saju, welcoming it.
However, the accused BCL activists called all the first-year students of the hall to the guest room and harassed them.
The five students were later beaten separately by the four second-year students around 10pm on Thursday, said a first-year student at the hall, who declined to be named.
He added that BCL leader Lalon Hossain had beaten up the students. The accused tortured them in various ways till 12am.
The victims declined to comment fearing further torture.
When contacted, accused Lalon Hossain flatly denied the allegations. "There was no guest room in the hall, and no such incident of torture took place," he said.
Read: DU authority asks public not to enter campus unnecessarily
Meanwhile, Saleh Uddin Ahmed Saju, who had given the positive instruction against guest room culture, said he discussed the matter with everyone after being informed. But the victims said nothing in this regard.
Saju said he has warned everyone not to let such incidents happen again.
Professor Saiful Islam Khan, Provost of Sir AF Rahman Hall, told UNB that he had not received any complaint from the students.
"I heard about it from the media," he said.
"We need the permission of the administration to hold any kind of congregation in the guest room. No such permission was taken regarding this. However, I have asked the house tutor of the concerned block to look into the matter," the provost added.
Female student complains of harassment at DU dorm
A female student of Ruqayyah Hall of Dhaka University has complained of being harassed by some of her immediate seniors.
The victim, a first year student of the Management Department, said she was forced to dance to an item song in her room on Tuesday night. She lodged a complaint with the proctor of the University.
"They ragged me from 10 pm to 1 am. Julie Marma (Criminology) and Nasrin Jahan Khusi assaulted me and Zannat Nipo (Marketing), Puja Das (Philosophy), Rinaki Chakma (Marketing) helped them," she said.
READ: DU halls reopen for all students, but no more ‘gano rooms.’
This correspondent tried to contact the accused over the phone, but they didn’t respond instantly.
Ruqayyah Hall provost Professor Dr. Zeenat Huda told UNB, "Proctor informed me of the incident. I called a meeting with all of them. The accused mentioned that they didn’t rag her. They requested her to dance. I told them they can't do that in the dorm. We decided to issue them a show cause letter. Moreover, we shifted the victim to another room."
READ: Left student bodies demand reopening DU halls, vaccination of students
DU Proctor Prof AKM Golam Rabbani told UNB, "The victim has lodged written complaints. The incident took place at Ruqayyah Hall. That is why I have asked the hall administration to take action."
2.56 per cent pass DU ‘Cha’ unit admission test
The results of Dhaka University ‘Cha’ unit admission test, under the Fine Arts Faculty for 2020-21 academic sessions were published on Sunday with a pass rate 2.56 per cent.
Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman unveiled the results at the Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury virtual classroom.
Read: 10.76% students pass DU ‘Ka’ unit admission test
The dean of DU Fine Arts Faculty Professor Nisar Hossain and online admission committee Convener Professor Dr. Md Mostafizur Rahman were, among others, present.
A total of 258 students passed (both General Knowledge and Drawing section) the exam out of 10,065 candidates against 135 available seats.
Admission test results are available on university official admission website admission.eis.du.ac.bd. It can also be checked by sending SMS 'DU CHA <roll no>' to 16321.
Read: 2 DU students endure night of torture at Surjo Sen hall
Successful candidates will have to choose preferred subject through the admission website between November 16 and 23. For reexamining the answer script candidates have to pay necessary fees and contact the Dean of Fine Arts Faculty within November 16 and 22.