Education
Rajshahi University dormitories reopen after 18 months
Authorities on Sunday reopened the residential halls Rajshahi University (RU) after closure for long 18 months due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The students started to enter their respective halls at 10 am amid much enthusiasm showing their ID cards and vaccination cards.
Read: Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar appointed as VC of Rajshahi University
The university administration decided to reopen the halls at a meeting of the university's academic council on September 30.
The university administration has issued some instructions including wearing masks for the students to enter the halls.
Basins have been installed in front of the dormitories to wash their hands. However, most of the 16 residential halls have not been renovated.
Students who have not yet been vaccinated yet but got registered on the Surokkha app have been asked to get vaccinated at the Shaheed Sukhranjan Samaddar Student-Teacher Cultural Center (TSCC) from October 18 to 22.
Read: The contenders to be the next VC of Rajshahi University
University Public Relations office administrator professor Ajijur Rahman said students need to get at least one dose of corona vaccine to enter the halls. Two copies of the vaccination certificate, hall identity card and stamp size picture of them have to be shown at the entrance.
All the residential halls of Rajshahi University remained closed since March 16 last year. Academic activities will resume on October 20.
DU Blue Panel teachers association condemn attacks on puja mandaps
Awami League-backed Blue Panel teachers association of Dhaka University (DU) has condemned the recent incidents of vandalism and arson attack on Durga Puja mandaps across the country.
The association, in a statement issued on Saturday, urged the government to immediately identify those responsible for the violence and bring them under the rule of law.
"A vested quarter wants to destroy the country's communal harmony. Attacks on puja mandaps and incidents of vandalism and arson attacks on Hindu businesses, houses, and temples in different districts of the country are part of that design," read the statement.
The Blue Panel observed that a "particular political party and its allies" are trying to provoke the Muslims against the Hindu community.
"The people of this country, irrespective of religion, caste, and community, have been living side by side peacefully for ages.
"Thus, just like the past, the citizens of this country will not be misled in the name of religion," added the statement. They said that new laws, if needed, should be passed to prevent any further communal divide.
Read: DU mulling over ways to implement its dope test
Several people were reportedly killed and scores got injured as clashes erupted in different parts of the country since Wednesday following tensions triggered by the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in Cumilla.
Govt. to upgrade technical-education teachers’ skills to level- 6
The government has taken a plan to upgrade the skills of all technical education teachers to level- 6 by 2023.
Technical and Madrasha Division Secretary under Ministry of Education, Md. Aminul Islam Khan said this on Wednesday during the concluding ceremony of a two-months long teacher’s skill development workshop at Dhaka Polytechnic Institute.
Read: Technical education can make a difference during post-Covid period
He said that the training course modules have been formulated in line with the national skill standards so that the teachers can be upgraded to skill -level 6.
The two-month workshop started on August 22 and 161 trainees took part in as the second batch of this skill development workshop. In first batch of this workshop 248 teachers participated.
Foundation stones of two halls laid at Islamic University
The foundation stones two ten-storied, one for male and another for female students, halls were laid at Islamic University in Kushtia on Wednesday amid a festive mood.
Ruling Awami League joint general secretary and lawmaker from Kushtia-3 Mahbubul Alam Hanif laid the foundations of the halls adjacent to the university's Lalon Shah Hall and Sheikh Hasina Hall.
The halls will each accommodate 1000 male and 1000 female students, IU treasurer Professor M Alamgir Hossain Bhuiya said.
The buildings will have students’ rooms, guest room, provost office, house tutor rooms, reading room, library, etc.
BUET team becomes Asia West Champion in Moscow programming contest
'BUET HellBent’ a team from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has been crowned ‘The Asia West Champion’ in the ACM ICPC Moscow World Final 2021.
The team ‘BUET HellBent’ also ranked 28th globally in this prestigious programming competition
‘DU SwampFire’-- a team from Dhaka University, ranked 33rd in the event.
Also read: Climate Science Contest: Bangladeshi student makes it to top 10
On the other hand, Nizhny Novgorod State University, located in Russia, became the champion in ICPC world Finals in Moscow.
The ICPC is one of the most prestigious programming competitions in the world, where the finest programmers and coders around the world compete to be crowned as the champions.
Over 60,000 student programmers from more than 3,000 universities across 115 countries participate in qualifying rounds of this event each year.
Also read: Bangladeshi youth shines in global yoga vlogging contest
Earlier, it was announced that ICPC World Finals 2022 will be held in Dhaka and the University of Asia Pacific (UAP) will be the host.
JU greets students with flowers and masks on their return to campus
Jahangirnagar University on Monday greeted its students with flowers, masks, hand sanitizers, chocolates and cakes as they started returning to their dormitories after 17 months of Covid-induced closure.
Besides extending a warm welcome the university authorities took steps to measure students’ body temperature and ensure proper sanitization during their entry through the gates.
The authorities also have set up a Covid-19 vaccine booth at Wazed Miah Science Research Centre of the university for students.
Provost of Sheikh Hasina Hall Professor Bashir Ahmed said, “We will welcome the students with gifts whenever they come.”
Noted physicist Dr Harun-ar-Rashid passes away
Eminent physicist and 'Bose Professor' of Physics at the University of Dhaka Dr AM Harun-ar-Rashid died at a hospital in Dhaka on Saturday. He was 88.
Dr Rashid, who had been suffering from various old-age complications, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the hospital.
He received the Ekushey Padak in education in 1991 and the Independence Award in 1999.
Read: JU's Prof Mamun on list of world's top physicists
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock at the death of the distinguished physicist.
In a condolence message, the Prime Minister said Harun-ar-Rashid is not only a physicist but also a dedicated soul in the field of science research.
She recalled his outstanding role in the of physics education particularly the teaching of physics in Bengali alongside his regular research.
Sheikh Hasina said his death created a huge vacuum in the field of science education and research in the country.
The Prime Minister prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Dr Rashid was born in a village of Barisal district in 1933. Rashid earned his BSc and MSc in Physics from the University of Dhaka in 1953 and 1954 respectively. He then completed his PhD from the University of Glasgow in Theoretical Physics in 1960.
Read:JU Drama and Dramatics Professor Dr Afsar Ahmed passes away
He joined the University of Dhaka as a lecturer of the Department of Physics. He became a full professor in 1972. He was the founder and chairman of the Department of Theoretical Physics of Dhaka University. In 1993, he was named Bose Professor of Physics. He served as a Professor of Theoretical Physics and director of Institute of Physics, University of Islamabad during 1967–1971.
He served as the Director of Computer Center (now the Institute of Information Technology)in the University of Dhaka.
He was a visiting professor at the Institute für Theoretische Kernphysik, International Center for Theoretical Physics, Imperial College London, University of Texas, Austin and University of California, Los Angeles.
DU holds Cha unit admission test
Dhaka University on Saturday held the admission test of the Cha unit under the fine arts faculty for the 2020-21 academic session.
The test was held in eight divisional cities across the country. The test began at 11am for a duration of 30 minutes.
Also read: DU likely to reopen halls for all vaccinated students on Oct 10
DU Vice Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman, pro-VC (administration) Prof Dr Samad, pro-VC (administration) Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal visited a number of exam centers.
This year, 115 students are fighting for a single seat.
From October 1, DU started conducting its admission tests through a unit of the Science Group.
Also read: DU admission tests held for the first time in all divisional cities
SUST to reopen dorms in phased manner from October 25
After nearly 18 months, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) will reopen its residential halls to students in phases starting from October 25.
SUST Vice Chancellor Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed announced the date after the 167th Academic Council meeting of the university on Tuesday afternoon.
Read: Flowers & banners welcome students as DU reopens dorms
According to the decision of the Academic Council, postgraduate students will be able to enter the hall on October 25.
Final-year undergraduate students will be let in on October 26, third-year students on October 27, second-year students on October 28, and first-year students on October 29.
However, only those students who have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 jab will be allowed to enter the residential halls on production of the vaccine card.
Read: Kuet dorms to reopen on October 22
Physical classes may begin in some departments from the first week of November. However, online classes will continue, the VC said.
DU likely to reopen halls for all vaccinated students on Oct 10
Dhaka University authorities are likely to reopen its dormitories for first, second, and third year students on October 10.
In- person classes and exams are likely to resume from October 16 after a long closure for the Covid pandemic.
The recommendations came from a Provost Standing Committee meeting with DU Vice Chancellor Prof Aktheruzzaman in the chair on Tuesday evening.
The decision will be finalized at the university's next academic council meeting.
The students who have received at least one of coronavirus jab will be allowed to enter their respective halls from 8am on October 10.
Voter registration centres will be set up at Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of the university to provide National Identity Cards to the students.
The students who do not have NIDs can get their cards through registration at the centre.
DU pro vice-chancellor (Academic) Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal said, "The Provost Standing Committee recommended allowing all vaccinated students to the halls from October 10."
"The committee also recommended resumption of in person exams and classes from 16 October," he added.
"To avoid session jam, the university will reduce holidays. Classes and exams will be held everyday excluding Fridays," the professor said.
Earlier in the day, final year students of both masters and honour's programmes, who received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, started entering their respective halls from around 8am.
The students were allowed inside the halls after they showed their vaccine certificates and valid ID cards.