President for competent, honest leaders to build nation

President Abdul Hamid yesterday urged graduates to create honest and competent leadership to make the foundation of democracy stronger at the 50th Convocation of Dhaka University (DU).

He also said there is no alternative to political leadership in the country's development and this leadership would be created through student leadership.

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On the present trend of student politics, Hamid categorically said now it seems individual or group interest is getting priority.

“In some cases, non-students control student politics. Thus, trust, support and respect of people, even of general students, to student politics are decreasing gradually. This is not a good sign for the nation and the country,” the president told the convocation held at the university playground.

Describing student politics of his time, Hamid said they used to lead and control politics in the past when there had been no space for dependence, and the common people showed respect to them.

Saying that he started politics during his student life, the president added, “But there is a huge difference between today's student politics and that of ours. The country's welfare and establishing our rights by liberating people from dependency were the aims and objectives for us -- those who were involved in student politics in the 60s.

“There was no room for personal or group interests at that time. Students used to control and lead the student politics. General people held students in honour.”

Hamid called upon the student community to bring back student politics on the right track and regain its lost glory.

Urging the students to get united to start ideology-based and welfare-oriented politics, Hamid said, “The student community has to play a leading role in this regard.”

Describing the sorry state of the present student politics, he said regular students should lead the student organisations now.

The president came up with the comment when student politics earned a bad name for last several years due to student leaders' involvement in tender business and other money-making ventures rather than paying heed to students' as well as the country's welfare.

Gunfight between students groups, especially internal conflicts of the ruling party's student wing, is a common scenario in many public universities centring tender businesses.

Hamid's speech relating democracy and development also came at a time when some policymakers in the government are advocating for limited democracy giving importance on development.

In his speech, Hamid also put emphasis on holding the Dhaka University Central Students' Union election for developing new leadership to strengthen the foundation of the country's democracy.

The DUCSU election is a must to flourish regular student leadership, he said. The president, also the chancellor of the university, added if capable and honest student leadership is not created, future leadership would be at stake.

Since 1990 no election was held in DUCSU. Elections to the central students' unions of other public universities are also not being held on a regular basis.

At one point of his speech, Hamid in a light mood said, “What a game of the Almighty that I am the chancellor of the university where I could not get admitted! Even I was not given the admission form.”

At the convocation, DU conferred Doctor of Science degree on Amit Chakma, the Bangladesh-origin academic and vice-chancellor (VC) of the University of Western Ontario in Canada.

While reading out the citation for the award which was passed by the academic council and syndicate, DU VC Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “For Prof Amit Chakma's profound commitment and service to the academic and research community and for his leadership acumen, the University of Dhaka is proud to confer upon Prof Amit the degree of Doctor of Science [Honoris Causa] today [yesterday].”

While delivering the convocation speech, Prof Amit asserted the motto of DU as the best metaphor which says education is light.

He advised the students to earn 3Cs -- competency, commitment and character -- to become successful in their career.

“You have to be conscious about your character which is very important. The windows of your minds will have to open through knowledge,” he observed.

He also advised the students, “Never tolerate corruption and never violate human rights when you will hold any responsible post.”

He also urged the graduates to dream big and scale up their lives in a meaningful way. 

The DU VC in his speech said, “Students who are determined to exploring the truth through removing lies from their minds are the real students.”