DHAKA: President Abdul Hamid on Thursday put emphasis on collective efforts to uphold democracy, saying that social discipline and democratic values will have to be ensured for maintaining the progress of the country.

“Social peace and democratic norms and values will have to be maintained for the progress of the country. We have to work collectively to maintain the hard-earned democracy,” he said.

The President made the observation while addressing the 5th convocation of Jahangirnagar University.

He said, “The main objective of the country’s war of independence was to build a happy-prosperous Bangladesh and to achieve this goal a knowledge-science and information technology based education is imperative for preparing the youth as the worthy citizens.

According to the President, the country is on the way of progress as it has achieved remarkable successes in education, women empowerment, per capita income, agriculture, sanitation and information technology.

Congratulating the new graduates of JU, the President who is also the chancellor of the universities, asked them to work for the welfare of the people as well as the country.

“You are now the higher human resource of the country,” he said adding more “Today’s convocation is giving recognition of your achievement and on the other hand, it is bestowing responsibilities on you and these responsibilities are towards your family, society, above all towards the country and nation”.

Pointing to the students, the President further said, “You have to build yourself as worthy citizens for your survival in this competitive world. You must be courageous and active in facing competitors in every area of knowledge-science.”

He added, “You must remember this country and its contribution because any of your negative activities can damage our vast achievements.”

During the convocation, a total of 11,900 students were conferred with graduation, MPhil and PhD degrees. Of them, 18 were given gold medals for their outstanding results.

Moreover, former chief justice Mozammel Hossain delivered the convocation speech.

Education minister Nurul Isllam Nahid and JU vice-chancellor Professor Dr Farzana Islam also spoke at the convocation.

BDST: 2055 HRS, FEB 05, 2015