Md. Soyaib

Jagannth University (JnU) authorities are yet to take necessary steps in organizing the university’s first convocation since it was founded 13 years ago. University sources say that more than 50,000 thousand students who have picked their certificate up without convocation or any kind of relevant formalities.
On April 16, 2014 the university issued a notice, saying the students could collect their original certificates. The university authorities had said at that time that there was a shortage of experienced people to organize convocation. Later, the university administration gave the excuse of space crisis at the university. The university administration’s decision not to organize the convocation has garnered anger among the former and current students. As a result, the students are staging protest and making demand for convocation through different social media channels.
Almost all the public universities of the country, including the National University, have arranged convocations but Jagannath University has failed to do despite its decade old existence as a university. Students and teachers feel that it is possible to organize the event at the university’s central playground.
Aklima Aktar, a former student of this university says, “We did not expect that we had to take certificate without any convocation.” Jakir Hossain, a final-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism department says, “We want convocation at any cost. I think that our authority should be concerned more than us on this matter and start the trend of organizing convocation in every year.”
Asha Dep, a final-year student of English department blames, “both the present and previous authorities for their failure to arrange the convocation. She also comments that space is not any problem. The problem is that our authorities are not concerned.”
Some faculties have stresses that, “The convocation is a part of a comprehensive university culture. When the authorities have failed to hold it over the years, one can raise questions regarding the standard of education provided by the university. So authorities should arrange it as soon as possible.”
JnU Socialist Students’ Front President Kishor Khumar Sarkar says, “Every student has the right to get this honor. I hope that the administration will respect the expectation of students by organizing convocations.”
Tarikul Islam, president of JnU Chhatra League, says, “Our organization is working for student’s welfare. It is our demand that the authority make essential preparation to arrange convocation within this year. Otherwise we will move to organize movement to see the implementation of our righteous demand. Already we’re communicating with the authority about this issue.”
Professor Dr. Mijanur Rahman, the Vice Chancellor of JnU, remarked that “we have a plan to organize convocation at our second campus at Keraniganj in Dhaka.” He complained that the present campus has not enough place to arrange grandiose events like convocation.