PM inaugurates golden jubilee programme of CU

The PM also unfolded a commemorative postal stamp on the occasion. While inaugurating the programme, the Prime Minister said the brandishing of arms began in the educational institutes during the military regimes in the country. “Politics of conspiracy and killing began following the assignation of the Father of the Nation in 1975. The August 15 massacre of Bangabandhu family was followed by illegal military rule. The illegal military dictators usurped the state power and they could not develop the nation,” said the Prime Minister. “45 years have passed since we achieved independence. It is a disgrace for us that we could not achieve 100 percent literacy rate. During 1996-2001 period we undertook measures to eradicate illiteracy from every district of the country. We could also achieve 65 percent literacy rate. However, the literacy rate dropped to 45 percent when we came to power again in 2008,” the Prime Minister also said. The authority of the university chalked out a two-day long colourful programme on Chittagong University (CU) campus starting from November 18, marking the celebration of golden jubilee of the university. Speaker of Bangladesh National Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury attended the programme as the chief guest and Professor Emeritus Dr Anisuzzaman as the golden jubilee speaker. “The present government has placed education on the top of its priority list and many steps have been undertaken to ensure quality education,” said the Parliament Speaker. CU VC Prof Dr Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury presided over the inaugural ceremony where Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Minister Nurul Islam BSc, State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed and State Minister for Hill Tract Affairs Bhir Bahadur was present as the special guests. Chittagong City Awami League President and former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, General Secretary and Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and UGC Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan also attended the programme among other distinguished guests.