President urges students to prioritise country’s interest

Stressing the importance of moral education alongside academic excellence to build a nation, President M Abdul Hamid on Monday asked students to give priority to the interest of the country.

“Give priority to the interests of the country and nation . . . Never compromise with falsehood or misdeed in your life,” the President told the graduates at the fifth convocation of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city.

The President, also the chancellor of the university, advised them to uphold their ideology as an individual’s misdeeds not only affects him/her but also influences the society as a whole.

Emphasising on building students’ morality, he said, “Education flourishes society, but education without morality doesn’t bring any good for the society or the nation.”

The university is not only a centre of learning; rather it’s the highest place of acquiring knowledge, skill and performing research works, the President observed.

The head of the state urged the university authority to involve the students in various extra-curriculum creative activities, including free-thinking, discussion on national and international issues, nation-building works, contemporary thoughts, cultural activities and sports.

President Hamid also put emphasis on introducing the new generation to the history and tradition of the country to familiarize them with the country’s glorious past.

Recalling the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the President said, “A vested quarter is trying to erase the contribution of Bangabandhu but we must remain alert against their ill-motives. We must remember our glorious past, Liberation War and our Great Leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”

He urged the graduates to play their due role in turning Bangladesh into an ICT -based country.

At the outset of his speech, Abdul Hamid paid rich tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the patriots who embraced martyrdom during the 1971 Liberation War, 1952 Language Movement and other democratic movements of the country.

Science fiction author and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Prof Dr Muhammed Zafar Iqbal delivered the convocation speech while Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni ,MP, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, MP, University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan, ULAB Vice-Chancellor Professor HM Jahirul Haque, among others, were present on the occasion, reports BSS.