End dependence on foreigners in mining: PM

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia gives away a gold medal to a student at the 8th Convocation of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) in the city yesterday. PHOTO: PID

In present perspectives of growing tendency of natural disaster, the engineers and architects will also have to be active in innovating methods and sustainable infrastructures to check catastrophe, she added.

The PM made the suggestions while she was addressing the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) teachers, students, and fresh graduates and post-graduates at the 8th Convocation 2005 of the Buet.

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She called upon engineers to contribute their best to the development process of the country through their well-thought-out opinions and valuable advice.

"You will have to show the path of speedy flourishing of science and technology in the country. You

will also have to be active in innovating sustainable technologies," said Khaleda, also Chancellor of the University.

Inaugurating the Buet Convocation at its playground, she told the fresh graduate and post-graduate engineers and architects that the nation wants to see them as architect of national development. "You will have to be farsighted and future-oriented in thought, innovation and formulation of planning."

Over 20,000 engineers and architects and planning experts till last year have been directly involved in the service of the country and nation through educating and doing professional duties, the function was told.

Khaleda as Chancellor conferred graduation and post-graduation degrees on the recipients as deans of respective faculties presented them before her.

This time 1,114 students have graduated as B.Sc. engineers in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 sessions from various departments of Architecture and Planning, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics

Engineering, Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Faculties and Institutes.

A total of 170 students have post-graduated, two with Ph.D. This year, for the first time, the Institute of Information and Communication Technology conferred M. Sc. degree.

Besides, two students were awarded University Gold Medal for attaining the highest CGPA among all departments at graduate level while two others given Dr Rashid Gold Medal for achieving the highest CGPA at postgraduate level.

Dr Rashid was the first vice-chancellor of the Buet, and the students of 1961 batch of the then Ahsan Ullah

Engineering College, now Buet, through forming a club, instituted the Dr Rashid Award.

Khaleda distributed the University gold medals to Md Ruhul Amin of civil engineering department of 2000-01 session and Mohammad Saifur Rahman of Computer Science and Engineering department of 2001-02 session while Dr Rashid gold medal to Meher Nigar Nima and Mohammad Ahsanul Habib of Urban and Regional Planning department.

Former Chief Justice of Bangladesh Justice ATM Afzal delivered the convocation speech. Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk, State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Huq Milan and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Ali Murtaza also addressed the function.

The prime minister, clad in convocation robes, joined both opening and concluding convocation processions marking the august ceremony.

Khaleda urged the engineers and architects fresh from the Buet to attain the skill and strategy of limited use of resources, as far as possible, in all construction works as land and resources are scanty in Bangladesh in proportion to its population.

"Stress will also have to be given on improving the indigenous technologies," she told the function attended by ministers, vice-chancellors of different universities, students and teachers of Buet and guardians of fresh graduate and postgraduate students.

"You are certainly lucky in this poor country. Apart from your own effort and guardians' role, contribution

of poor people is also there in your success.

Don't forget them their welfare will have to remain in your planning," Khaleda advised the engineers and architects.

Congratulating the graduates and postgraduate degree recipients, she hoped that they would honour the courtesy of the people and return their total investment made in rearing them.

Khaleda thanked Buet authorities, teachers and students for maintaining fair atmosphere of education and standard of education in the university.

She noted that there is no system in the country for rating atmosphere and standard of education, academic excellence and standard of research in the universities.

If this system is introduced, it will create healthy competition among universities, which would help enhance standard of higher studies, she observed.

Former Chief Justice ATM Afzal in his convocation speech said many are trying to misguide the

people by publicising Bangladesh as a 'failed state'.

"To disgrace the country means disgracing oneself," he pointed out, saying that if there are any wrongs, injustices and problems, the people of the country have to solve those. "The country cannot be disgraced anyway."

Vice-Chancellor Prof Ali Murtaza said that they have no dearth of effort to ensure high-standard engineering education but noted with regret that the present trend of student politics of the country is not suitable to maintaining the fair educational atmosphere.

Amid claps from the audience, Dr Murtaza suggested a moratorium on student politics at least for some years on trial basis. "All students can have own political philosophy, but a confrontational situation emanating from that philosophy is not desirable," he said.

The academic cautioned that it would be tough to face the challenges of this century without fair atmosphere of education and acquiring appropriate knowledge.