'The old days' words, forget them, oh my... Come back, my friend, to the heart of my soul/ I will tell you the stories of my happiness and sorrow, my soul will be filled with joy'. In response to the famous song of world poet Rabindranath Tagore, a gathering of former and current students of the department gathered at the premises of the Department of Botany of Dhaka University (DU) on Saturday. They reminisced and talked about the past in chats and stories. The event was organized by the Dhaka University Botany Alumni Association (DUBA).
As the fog cleared on a winter morning, the department premises became bustling with former graduates from 8 am. The main program began at 10 am. DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman was the chief guest at the program, Member of Parliament and former student of the department Meher Afroz Chumki was the guest of honor, and Ha-Meem Group Managing Director AK Azad was the special guest.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman urged the alumni to establish a research fund each in the department to conduct basic and applied research to enhance the quality of education and research. He said that through this, not only will the university prosper, but the country's prestige in the international arena will also increase.
AK Azad, Managing Director of Ha-Meem Group, said, "When Dhaka University was established a hundred years ago, more than 60 to 70 percent of students came from the rural areas. Their fathers used to earn their living by selling jute and paddy. Even today, the statistics have not changed much. When students from the rural areas get admitted in the first year, they do not know anything. It is our responsibility to stand by them."
He reminisced and said, "We are five brothers and four sisters. If we had to study in a private university, my father would not have been able to teach us. My father did not have that ability. Then I would not have studied at Dhaka University either. Many people are going abroad after passing their honors and masters from here and are becoming established. I will call on the department chairmen and teachers to have a database and keep in touch with them. Students will have to be counseled. They will have to be made to understand that students are educated with the tax money of the common people. The university has given degrees, if the alumni stand by them out of that sense of responsibility, then the university will achieve great development."
At that time, he urged the department chairman to stay connected with former students and involve them in the work of the department and donated 1 million taka to the Department of Botany.
Meher Afroz Chumki said, "In the developed world, various university activities are carried out with the contributions of alumni. We also have to come forward in this regard. We must play a role in research and innovation through the collective efforts of all."
Golam Faruk passed out from the department in 1995. He is currently the education officer of Dinajpur district. Expressing his feelings, he said, "There are many memories on campus. I went to the Sundarbans once with my friends. I still remember it. Now we are all in different places. I met and chatted with all of them. That's why I came all the way."
Former professors of the department AZM Nowsher Ali Khan and Professor Syed Hadiuzzaman, former professor of Dhaka Ideal College MA Bari, and Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Commission Md. Mahbub Hossain were honored at the ceremony.
In addition, student Jannatul Ferdousi was awarded the Dr. Md. Athar Uddin Gold Medal for achieving the highest results in the department's postgraduate examination in 2019, and 43 students of the department were awarded one-time scholarships.
The event was chaired by the President of the Botany Alumni Association, Professor Dr. Md. Athar Uddin, and was also addressed by the Chairman of the Department, Professor Dr. Mihir Lal Saha, and the Acting General Secretary of the organization, Professor Dr. Asfaq Ahmed.
In addition, the annual general meeting and reunion of the Soil, Water and Environment Department Alumni Association and the Arabic Department Alumni Association were held separately on Saturday.
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