The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

President Professor Iajuddin Ahmed said here on Tuesday that optimum utilization of resources in the productive modes would only help change the socio-economic status of the nation.

"We have to design the national development plan foreseeing the country's future as far as the year 2100," the President said.

He said that the development schemes should be long term and drawn on the basis of the ideas what would take the nation out of poverty and confirm prestigious position among the global society. The President was addressing the first convocation of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) as the key-person at its campus on Tuesday morning.

Advisor to the Caretaker government on Education and Commerce Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman joined it as the special guest, while former Chief Advisor to the caretaker government and former Chief Justice Mohammad Habibur Rahman delivered the convocation speech.

Vice-Chancellor of the CUET Professor Shyamal Kanti Biswas delivered speech of welcome at the convocation.

Branding the engineers as the architect of development, President said that they produce the development ideas and plan of action in the light of their talent, creativity and alternative thoughts.

"We want to be a self-reliant nation and today's engineering graduates, I hope, will feel it even more," the President said asking the engineers to engage their best efforts in building the nation. Calling better relation between teachers and students as the prerequisite of quality education, the President hoped that the CUET would continue to contribute for upholding the spirit of education and building dependable knowledge base.

He welcomed introduction of Mining, Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering department and said that the department would help expedite searching and exploring natural resources across the country.

He urged the graduates to uphold the honour of their certificates and said, "today's certification pushes you to the struggle of practicality and don't forget ordinary millions' contribution behind your achievement".

He advised the graduates to be sincere, honest, patriotic and pro-people for making their achievement meaningful.

Justice Habibur Rahman, the convocation speaker, in his speech said that there was no alternative other than blending the talent and skills of engineers in expediting national self-reliance.

"Unfortunately we feel comfort to depend on foreign advisors for the development of the country ignoring the talent and skills of our engineers and technologists," the convocation speaker said expressing his disappointment.

He put emphasis on sustainable technology to cut foreign dependency and said, "We've to ensure food for all, create scopes for pragmatic research aimed at supporting the problem-hit people.

He hoped that the government would not think investment for Science and Technology as misuse.

Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman said that the commercial capital of the country needed architects and planners for letting the mega-ideas to come true.

"Department titled 'Architecture & Urban Planning' will be an easy answer to the need," he said suggesting the CUET authorities to pursue a proposal in this regard.

He said that foreign investment would not be attracted in the absence of required technologists and engineers in the respective sectors.

Urging for delivering quality education he said that engineering universities should be made the focal point of technical education and research.

Highlighting the university's success stories Vice-Chancellor of the CUET Professor Shyamal Kanti Biswas in his welcome address sought cooperation from the government for the quick implementation of CUET projects.

Soon after the convocation speech, the President made the formal announcement of conferring degrees.

Later, he handed over gold medals to seven of the graduates in recognition to their excellence in the research and brilliant results in the post graduation degree in Master of Engineering and Master of Science and Engineering.

A convocation march was brought out from the southeast corner of the CUET central field just before the formal inauguration of the convocation by the President, which paraded the CUET campus and ended at the convocation venue.

More than 1400 engineering graduates and postgraduates including seven expatriates had been given certificates at the convocation.