BU First Convocation BRAC University held its first convocation on January 28,2006 with a total of 115 graduating students under various disciplines. With the Welcome Speech delivered by Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Saleh Uddin Ahmed in the first part of the program, the program continued with speeches by Fazle Hasan Abed, President, Governing Body, BU and Founder and Chairperson, BRAC, M Osman Faruq, Minister, Ministry of Education, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Nahleen Zahra, Representative from Class of 2006 and Valedictorian, Professor Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice Chancellor, BU. Dr AMR Chowdhury read out the speech of Allan Rosenfield, Dean Mailman, School of Public Health, Columbia University, USA and Convocation Speaker. Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed, Chancellor and President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the chief guest of the program addressed the Convocation as a "milestone for a university as it reflects the achievements of the students, teachers and the founders of the university". In the second part of the program degrees were conferred upon the graduates and gold medals awarded to students with Distinction. A video message from Jimmy Carter, former President of the USA was shown, lauding BU for "carrying the legacy of Fazle Abed, another hero of [mine] and BRAC which has demonstrated the importance of grassroots mobilization." He complimented the James P Grant School of Public Health stating, "It's a model that other schools would want to emulate. You not only represent the world, but also provide hope." The graduates comprised students from Departments of Computer Science, and Engineering, Management and Business Administration, Economics and Social Science and James P. Grant School of Public Health. Six students received the Vice Chancellor's Gold Medal and two students, namely Nahleen Zahra and Victoria Nankabirwa received the Chancellor's Gold Medal for excellent academic achievement. A Convocation Dinner was also organized in the Banquet Hall of the Bangladesh-China Friendship Centre in the evening. Chairperson & members of BU Governing Board and Academic Council, all BU teachers, graduating students and their parents attended the dinner.