The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday urged the teachers of the Dhaka University to take the lead in creating knowledge based society in the country to catch up with the advanced world.

Terming Dhaka University the highest seat of learning in the country, he said quality of education of the university would have to be maintained and stressed training of the teachers to create an educated society.

The Chief Adviser made the remarks when a 26-member delegation of Dhaka University, comprising its syndicate members and Deans of Faculties and led by Vice-chancellor Prof Dr SMA Faiz, called on him at his office.

Some of the teachers on the delegation stressed revising the pay scale of Dhaka University teachers as many teachers are going to private universities due to low pay. They also proposed that a research fund should be created in the national budget.

Some of them also emphasized maintaining transparency in appointing lecturer for the university and introducing training programme at the entry point for lecturers.

They also opined for sharing equipment and spaces of various departments of the university for their optimum use.

The Vice-chancellor in his speech placed a number of demands, including transfer of the Atomic Energy Commission Complex from the to Dhaka University, construction of a 10-storied building at TSC for co-curricular activities of the students, construction of tower buildings for teachers' accommodation, allocation of land for a second campus of the university as primarily 500 acres of land was allocated during inception of Dhaka University, which presently possess 250 acres of land, extension of academic building and increasing overseas scholarships for higher studies.

The meeting was informed about ongoing four projects of a total cost of Tk 67.18 crore for various development works of the university and an increase in qualitative standard of university education.

Of the projects, a Tk 21-crore Dhaka University special development second-phase project is for construction of new girls' dormitory, flats for hall resident teachers, procurement of scientific equipment and construction of Bungalows for provosts.

Another amount of Tk 20.81 crore was sanctioned for a project for extension of academic building, extension of student halls, while a Tk 5-crore project taken for repair, renovation and reconstruction of Curzon Hall and a Tk 20-crore scheme for development of infrastructure and research capability of physical, chemical and biological sciences.

The meeting was also informed about five proposed projects for the next fiscal, including Tk 154-crore Dhaka University Special Development Project, Tk 27.35-crore Extension of Jagannath Hall project and Tk 15-crore project for renovation of antiquated establishments of the octogenarian DU.

The Chief Adviser gave a patient hearing to the delegation of Dhaka University and said he is in the know about the problems of the university as he was also the student of Dhaka University.

He assured that "despite resource constraint on part of the government, the problems would be addressed on priority basis".

He urged the Dhaka University teachers also to try to create the university's own sources of income.

Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, Education Secretary Momtazul Islam, Secretary to CA's office Kazi Aminul Islam and CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim were also present.