¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·

Bangla Academy president Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq said on Friday that although many in the interim government, especially chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, envisioned a model state, the country’s transformation into the model state was not possible under a weak government.

He made the remarks while addressing a programme titled DU Research Excellence Recognition 2025, at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building.

At the event, nearly 300 teachers and researchers from various departments and institutes of Dhaka University were honoured in recognition of their research and intellectual contributions.

Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq also stated that whenever any authority or political party attempted to reform, opposing forces emerged. ‘Those who benefit from the existing system are unwilling to let go of their privileges even slightly,’ he said.

At the event, planning and education adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud said that in order to turn the country’s higher educational institutions into research-based centres, a proposal to reform the University Grants Commission into a ‘Higher Education Commission’ was under consideration.

Research must aim at changing the world, Dhaka University English department Emeritus Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury said, adding that the world is heading towards destruction and what is perceived today as progress is, in fact, a journey towards decline driven by private ownership.

‘Research doesn’t believe in private ownership ideologically,’ he said.

¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· editor Nurul Kabir called for the formation of a National Translation Commission to translate the world’s scholarly knowledge, books, and research papers into Bangla and make them accessible to the masses.

He also urged the affluent section of society to contribute to higher education, stating that no country can flourish in higher education unless the wealthy are willing to make contributions.

Vice-chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan stressed the importance of cultivating a culture of research at Dhaka University. ‘Partisan politics has caused us immense harm,’ he said, adding, ‘We want to keep education above party politics.’