Emeritus Professor Dr Serajul Islam Choudhury said on Saturday when there was no democratic system in the country then the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election continued during the military rule but it stopped under the democratic system, surprisingly.
He said this at a discussion titled 'DU Alumni in the journey of Bangladesh' held at the central playground of the campus, on the occasion of its centenary, also the birth centenary of the country's founding president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country's independence.
The programme was organised by the DU Alumni Association (DUAA).
More than 9,000 members of the DUAA along with the guests from home and aboard attended the grand event.
The programme began at 10am with recitation from the holy Quran, rendition of the national anthem and hoisting of the national flag.
Motiul Islam, the oldest living student of the university, delivered a speech as the chief guest at the inaugural session, presided over by DUAA president AK Azad.
Recalling university life, Motiul Islam said, 'Today's function is highly significant for the centenary of Dhaka University and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Thinking about this significance, I am saying that the country has contributed for me more than what I have contributed for the country."
He also thanked everyone for making him the chief guest.
The discussion titled DU Alumni in the journey of Bangladesh was held at 12.20pm with Emeritus Professor Dr Serajul Islam Choudhury in the chair.
Addressing the discussion, Prof Serajul Islam said, "While evaluating the history of this hundred-year-old university, we have to keep in mind that no other university had to play such a role as this university had to play."
Regarding the DUCSU, he said, "I was the treasurer of DUCSU for nine years and there was military rule in the country for those nine years. But then, there was the student union. Then, when the democratic system came, surprisingly, the election to the student union stopped. The election to the student union was a celebration. Meritorious students used to come out from the union."
Among others, Energy, Power and Mineral Resources Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, former Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, writer and politician Inam Ahmed Chowdhury, Professor Hamida Akhtar Begum, cultural personality Ramdendu Majumdar, former FBBCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, former Member of Parliament Shamsuzzaman Dudu and DU Teachers' Association (DUTA) President Professor Rahmat Ullah were present.
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