101 teachers including former JU VC receive PM's honour

The government has honoured 101 distinguished teachers from various levels of the country, including former Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University (JU) Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman, in recognition of their long-standing contributions to nation-building.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman handed over the 'Gunijon Shikkhok Sammanona' (Distinguished Teacher Honour) to the teachers at an event held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Monday, October 5, marking World Teachers' Day. Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman was given the honour posthumously.

Each honoured teacher was given Tk 2 lakh, a crest and a certificate of honour. A total of 95 were finalised through scrutiny by the National Steering Committee. Additionally, six more were included in the list on the Prime Minister's special consideration.

Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman, former Vice-Chancellor of JU, was a founding teacher of Jahangirnagar University and a teacher of the Economics Department. He was the Economics Department teacher who took the university's first class. Alongside a long teaching career, he performed various administrative duties at the university. He served as the elected Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University from 2004 to 2008.

Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman died on August 20, 2021, while undergoing treatment at hospital after being infected with coronavirus. He was 74 years old.

Others honoured at the university level

A total of 20 teachers received the honour at the general university level. Among them are 18 from public universities and two from private universities. From Dhaka University, Professor Dr Emajuddin Ahmed of the Political Science Department (posthumous), Emeritus Professor Dr Anwarullah Chowdhury of the Anthropology Department, retired Professor Dr Mahbub Ullah of the Development Studies Department, retired Professor Dr Rafiqur Rahman of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Emeritus Professor Dr A F M Yusuf Haider of the Physics Department, Emeritus Professor Dr Sadrul Amin of the English Department, Emeritus Professor Dr Tajmeri S A Islam of the Chemistry Department, Honorary Professor Dr Khandaker Siddique-e-Rabbani of the Biomedical Physics and Technology Department, Professor Dr Borhan Uddin Khan of the Law Department and retired Professor Pratima Ahmed of the Chemistry Department were honoured.

From Rajshahi University, Emeritus Professor Dr Arun Kumar Basak, Professor Dr Md Ibrahim Hossain Mondal of the Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Department and Professor Dr Md Golam Sadik of the Pharmacy Department received the honour.

From Chattogram University, Professor Dr Jamal Nazrul Islam of the Mathematics Department (posthumous), retired Professor Dr A N M Munir Ahmed Chowdhury of the Political Science Department and Director of the Institute of Sociology Research and Public Administration Professor Dr Amir Muhammad Nasrullah were included.

Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman is the only teacher from Jahangirnagar University on this list. From Khulna University, Professor Dr Md Nasif Ahsan of the Economics Discipline and Professor Dr Md Morsalin Billah of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering received the honour.

From private universities, Professor Dr Nova Ahmed of the ECE Department of North South University and Dean of the School of Agriculture and Design at BRAC University, Professor Dr Fuad Hassan Mallick, received the honour.

A total of 101 teachers, from primary to higher education, were included in this year's honour. Earlier, on World Teachers' Day, 12 teachers were given this honour at the national level.

Through this year's World Teachers' Day arrangement, the long teaching career and contribution to building the university of Jahangirnagar University's founding teacher and former Vice-Chancellor Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman also received state recognition.