Everyone seems to want to become successful but none mentions anything about failure, which is equally important in life and teaches a lot more, reminisced Brac University (Bracu) President and Vice Chancellor Professor Vincent Chang recently on his visits to over 200 universities.
Addressing a seminar at the university’s Mohakhali campus auditorium on 22 June 2019, he encouraged students to be tolerant and responsible towards cultures, religions, social values and opinions.
Titled “Preventing Terrorism and Extremism through Community Engagement”, the seminar was organised by Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) of Bangladesh Police in collaboration with the Community Development for Peace and Bracu.
“We should have respect for people of different nationalities and views. We must win the fight against hatred and terrorism. The positive change of society depends on young people like you,” said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller.
Extremists do not come from a specific background as around 56 percent of people held so far in connection with extremist activities had a background in general education, said Md Moniruzzaman, additional deputy inspector general (DIG) of the ATU.
This came up in a study on 250 suspects held between 2015 and 2017.
Attended by around 100 students of schools, colleges, madrasas and universities, the seminar aimed at raising awareness against terrorism and radicalism.
Professor Zainab Faruqui Ali PhD, chairperson of the Department of Architecture, gave the welcome address while DIG Didar Ahmed of the ATU presented the opening speech.
Professor Fuad Hassan Mallick, PhD, dean of the Brac School of Design and advisor of the Postgraduate Programs in Disaster Management Board, discussed several aspects of BracU’s disaster management programs.
Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Penny Morton, British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Kanbar Hossein Bor and Additional Inspector General of the ATU Mohammad Abul Kashem also spoke at the seminar.