The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

President and Chancellor of the universities Professor Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday sought cooperation from all quarters for holding the December 18 parliamentary elections freely and fairly.

"The nation is now ready for the election and the government has been working hard to make the upcoming elections free, fair and credible," he noted.

The president was delivering his speech at the 3rd convocation of the Chittagong University at university play ground.

Recalling the roles of universities in nation building, he emphasized the need for maintaining congenial academic atmosphere at the educational institutions with highest priority.

"Universities are the breeding grounds of intellectuality, research, creativity and knowledge sharing. Center of excellences in one hand contain the ideals and values of the society and addresses the hopes and aspirations of any nation on the other," he noted.

He hoped that the Chittagong University in the light of its old tradition would continue to play due roles in the field of research and knowledge transfer.

The president counselled the university faculties not to behave like the officials of ordinary organisations, but the missionaries of knowledge, spirit and beauty. "You're the mentors of the scholars who become the leader of the society and you're also to guide the nation in the darkness," he observed.

He greeted the graduates who received certificates and hoped that they would engage themselves in the welfare of the nation and the mankind as a whole in the line and light of lesson and knowledge acquired from the university.

He asked the graduates not to let their achievements become 'certificate only' event but to make it meaningful for advancement in their respective fields.

The President assured to ask the ministries and departments concerned to address the problems of the university within quickest possible time.

Earlier, he opened the convocation and conferred certificates of three Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.D.), eight Masters of Philosophy (M. Phil), 608 postgraduates, 248 graduates, a Master of Science (M. Sc.) in medicine and Chancellor gold medals to five scholars.

Eminent scientist and Professor Emeritus Dr. Jamal Nazrul Islam, who delivered the convocation speech, also received complimentary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) degree.

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman addressed the function as special guest while Vice-Chancellor Professor M Badiul Alam made deliberation highlighting prospect and problems of the university.

Zillur said that the country's education system had been operating with many hindrances in it and it was the high time to address the barriers for the welfare of the nation.

He put emphasis on learning ethics together with the applied subjects what had long been absent in the country's education system.

Professor Emeritus Dr. Jamal Nazrul Islam said that qualitative delivery of education had mostly been dependent on qualified and able faculties. He, therefore, suggested total overhauling of the existing teacher hiring system and demanded new recruitment system where only the qualified people would get the entry.