Dr. Yunus to Receive Honorary D.Litt. at CU's 5th Convocation

Published : Monday, 12 May, 2025 at 8:23 PM Count : 451

The 5th convocation of the University of Chittagong is set to take place on May 14. This grand event, returning after a long span of 59 years, will see the conferment of degrees upon a total of 22,586 graduates at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus will attend the event as the chief guest and will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degree by the university authorities.

These details were disclosed at a press conference moderated by Professor Dr. Md. Enayet Ullah Patwary, Acting Controller of Examinations and Member Secretary of the Convocation Committee.

Among the degree recipients, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities will have the highest number of graduates at 4,988. Other faculties include Science (2,766), Business Administration (4,593), Social Sciences (4,158), Biological Sciences (1,685), Engineering (796), Law (703), Education (317), Marine Sciences (284), and Medicine (2,296). In addition, 42 students will receive Ph.D. degrees, and 33 will be awarded M.Phil. degrees.

The CU campus is already abuzz with festivity in preparation for the event. Decorations and the main event pavilion are nearly complete. Seating arrangements have been made for around 25,000 guests and graduates. A reputed event management company has been tasked with overseeing the event setup. Participating students will receive special souvenir kits, including a bag, memento booklet, pen, wallet, and a commemorative cap, which they will be allowed to keep.

High-quality catering has been arranged for all attendees, with meals prepared at three separate cooking centers and distributed to various departments by 10 a.m. To ensure smooth transportation, over 100 buses will operate between the city and the campus, and shuttle train schedules have been rearranged accordingly. Security measures have also been significantly heightened, with the university proctorial team and law enforcement agencies working in coordination.

Strict security protocols will be in place at the venue. Participants will not be allowed to bring bags, cameras, electronic devices, or food items. Specific time slots have been designated for collecting and returning convocation gowns. Failure to return gowns on time will incur a fine of BDT 3,000.

CU Vice-Chancellor Yahya Akhtar, speaking at the press conference, described this as the largest convocation in the country's history. Dr. Muhammad Yunus will deliver the keynote address, focusing on humanity, innovation, and the importance of social business. In recognition of his outstanding global contributions to peace and poverty alleviation, the university will honor him with the D.Litt. degree. The event will also be attended by government advisers, academics, invited guests, and CU syndicate members.

After a long-awaited return, this convocation is poised to become a proud and historic milestone for the university and its graduates.

FP/Raj