56th anniversary of RU observed

The Rajshahi University (RU) steps in 56th years with a glorious past as it celebrated its 56th founding anniversary with a day-long programme on Monday.
The programme began with the hoisting of the national flag and the university flag at 6:00am at the administrative building and other buildings.
RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan inaugurated the ‘founding anniversary’ programme by releasing pigeons and balloons.
University teachers, students, officers, employees and different political and cultural organizations placed floral wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar, RU mass grave and Shaheed Shamsuzoha grave separately.
University authorities organized memorial discussions at university senate building on the occasion.
University former teachers, former RU VCs and other senior teachers took part at the meeting.
A special prayer was held at university central mosque after Zahr prayer.
Different student organizations and cultural organizations of RU on Monday criticized the university authorities for not allowing students organizations to celebrate the founding anniversary programme by imposing restrictions on all activities of the student bodies on the campus for indefinite period. Roksana Parvin Lily, secretary general of Chhatra Front of RU unit said, “We could not participate in our founding anniversary function for restriction on students’ bodies activities on the campus for an indefinite period. She demanded withdrawal of the restriction as soon as possible.”
Rajshahi University, one of the largest universities in Bangladesh established in 1953, has turned out to be one of the pioneer institutes for research attaining academic excellence.
It started its academic activities with 161 students including five female students.
Now it has 47 departments under eight faculties and 5 institutes for higher education and research. There are 16 residential halls for the students including 5 female halls. About 27000 students are studying here while the number of teachers stands at 1050.
The university now has 303.8 hectors of land. There is a campus-based museum on Liberation named “Shaheed Smriti Songrohosala” which stores the history of Bangladesh since 1952. The first museum of Bangladesh, known as Barendra Museum is also affiliated with the University.
In last 56 years, a large number of students have obtained their graduation and postgraduation degrees from Rajshahi University. A good number of scholars gained their M. Phill and PhD degree from here. Many of them have established themselves in different professions.
Many former students of the university have brought national glory as well as international reputation showing intellect and wisdom in their respective fields.
The students of the university have made major contributions not only in academic activities but also in co-curricular activities.
This university is always in the forefront of national issues including the withdrawal of the education commission report in 1962, Mass upserge for democracy in 1969 and active participation in the Liberation War in 1971.
During the mass movement of 1969, Dr Shamsuzzoha, the then proctor of the university sacrificed his life while protecting students from the Pakistani military. Besides him Prof. Habibur Rahman, Prof. Sukhranjan Somaddar, Mir Abdul Quayum and some other teachers, students and employees laid down their lives in the Liberation War of 1971.
The famous litterateur Dr. M. Shahidullah, Dr.M. Enamul Haque, Former chief adviser Justice Habibur Rahman, historian David Calf, anthropologist Pitter Bouchi, Flarence Maleni, Johana Kork Patrick, Prof. Abdul Karim and renowned writers Hasan Azizul Haque and Badruddin Omar were all faculty members of the university.

Courtesy of The New Nation