President asks all to stay alert against corruption, nepotism

President M Abdul Hamid on Saturday asked all concerned, including university authorities, to remain alert against corruption and nepotism.

"Corruption is one of the major barriers to country's overall development and progress... So, everyone should be aware against corrupt practices," he told the 'Sixth Convocation-2023' of Jahangirnagar University (JU), Savar, on the outskirts of the capital this afternoon.

The President, also the university chancellor, added: "Recently, many negative new reports were published on the recruitment and tender business in different universities... Stay away from the corruption and nepotism."

Chief Justice of Bangladesh Justice Hasan Foez Siddique spoke as the convocation speaker at the sixth convocation of JU.

The President also called upon the teachers and students to do politics staying above the party affiliation and maintaining a healthy academic environment on campuses.

"The vice-chancellor, the teachers and the students use to practice the freedom of thought. They also do practice and actively participate in politics but a fair and clean politics is expected," said the chancellor.

"Beyond the studies, you can involve yourself in various co-curricular activities such as politics, social service and cultural acts. But there is no compromise with the education," he added.

Expressing grave concern over the world-ranking as no Bangladeshi university was found even among the first 1,000 universities in the ranking, the President said only certificate-based education cannot bring development for the country and its people.

"And institutional education would be fruitful if it can be linked with real life," the Head of the State observed.

Abdul Hamid told the vice-chancellor and teachers that the teaching and research activities are their main and most important responsibilities while the foremost duty of a student is to study and acquire knowledge.

President Hamid called for taking pragmatic steps to improve the quality of education.

"The youth society must achieve self-reliance in the field of science and technology... It requires continuous research in the respective fields," he added.

Addressing the graduates and students, the President said every student should be educated in ethics, values, patriotism and nationalism along with academic education.

Abdul Hamid stressed on the development and positive change of the country to make every university world-class for the proper care of the talented youths.

Advising the graduates to play a positive role in the welfare of the country and nation, the President said, "Not only individuals, the families, the society and the national development should also be focused."

President Hamid told the businessmen that even businessmen are busy to become rich ignoring the ethics and morality after starting a business.

"Giant business and industrialists take loans from various financial institutions to become loan defaulters willingly," he added.

He said entering the job, a section of service holders remains busy to earn money, own a car and house and they even do not hesitate to compromise with the interests of the country and the nation.

"The graduates will work as diligent citizens to make the country a happy and prosperous 'Golden Bangla' envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu as well as a developed and "Smart Bangladesh", the chancellor hoped.

As many as 15,219 students participated in the programme and of those, the President awarded 16 students with gold medals in three categories in the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Of the total participants, 11,444 have completed regular graduation and post-graduation, 3,461 have completed weekend program, 34 have completed M Phil degree and 280 have completed Ph.D.

Members of Parliament, JU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md Nurul Alam, Pro-VC Professor Sheikh Md Manjurul Haque, Treasurer Professor Dr. Rasheda Akhtar, Registrar Rahima Kaniz and deans of respective faculties, among others, were present.