Rajshahi University (RU), the second largest public university in the country, celebrated its 70th founding anniversary in a befitting manner on Saturday .
The day's programmes began with the rendering of the national anthem and hoisting of the national flag, university flag and hall flags in front of the administrative building at 10:05 am.
RU Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge Professor Sultan-Ul-Islam inaugurated the programme by releasing pigeons, festoons, colourful balloons and pigeons. The VC also planted saplings on the occasion.
Marking the day, teachers, officers and students brought out a rally that paraded different streets of the campus. The university authority also organised a discussion on senate building premises with its VC in the chair. Pro-vice-chancellor Professor Humayun Kabir, Treasurer Professor Obaidur Rahman Pramanik and Registrar Professor Abdus Salam, among others, were present on the occasion.
RU began its journey on July 6, 1953 with only 161 students and 68 teachers in 6 departments under 3 faculties. Currently, the university has over 1,098 teachers in 58 departments under twelve faculties, along with 9 research institutes and around 30,000 regular students, including 26 from foreign countries.
The university has 18 residential halls, including six for females and Shaheed Mir Abdul Kayyum International Dormitory for international students and researchers.
It has also 47 PhD and 116 M. Phil fellows and 149 researchers. Professor Itrat Hossain Zuberi was the first VC of the university.
Scores of graduates of the public university are playing laudable roles in different fields in both home and abroad.
To mark the celebration, a book titled "Rajshahi Biswabidyaloyer Sat Dashak: Smrity Satta Bartaman '' written by RU Bangabandhu Chair Prof Sanat Kumar Saha was unveiled at the administrative building conference hall.
