UNB, Rajshahi :President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday asked the authorities concerned to immediately arrest those involved in thekilling of Rajshahi University teacher Prof AKM Shafiul Islam and ensure their punishment.”The recent killing of the Sociology Department teacher shocked me so much as it did the whole nation. No one had expected such a distinguished scholar would be killed this way in an institution of higher studies. I urge the authorities concerned to immediately arrest the killers and ensure their due punishment,” he said.The President said this while addressing the 4th convocation of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) at its premises in the city.AKM Shafiul Islam, a professor of Sociology Department of Rajshahi University, was stabbed to death by some miscreants at Chouddapai near the campus in Rajshahi city on Saturday.At the RUET convocation, a total of 2513 students received degrees, while 35 students were given gold medals for their outstanding performance.Abdul Hamid said, education is the first step towards building a nation. “Education doesn’t mean only economic and social development; it also means development of students’ talents with non-communal spirit and awakening deep patriotism among them.” The aim of higher education is to disseminate knowledge and innovation of new knowledge apart from building skilled manpower, said the President adding, “This is why universities have to play a role in encouraging creative activities, practicing free-thinking and flourishing the freedom of thinking apart from education so that students can grow themselves as non-communal citizens with farsightedness apart from achiving leadership quality.”Laying emphasis on research, the President said, “New knowledge is created through research which can play important role in fulfilling the demand of society. So, the university teachers have to engage themselves in research works as well as to increase research arena. ” Terming the present age as the age of information technology, President Hamid said there is no alternative to creating efficient engineers to face the challenges.”Bangladesh has huge human resources. They’ll be able to contribute to the national development if they’re built with the knowledge of information technology,” he told his audience.Describing the graduates as the country’s human resources, Hamid said: “Today’s convocation is giving recognition to your achievements on one hand and it is bestowing responsibilities on you on the other. These responsibilities are towards your family, society, above all the country and the nation.”RUET VC Prof Dr Mohd Rafiqul Alam Beg and convocation speaker and VC of University of Asia Pacific Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury, among others, spoke on the occasion.
