Rajshahi: Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has said that the private universities must come out of their commercial attitude for the betterment of the nation and upgrade their teaching system, reports BSS.

He also urged the universities to go forward with modern approach after coming out from the conventional system for the sake of generating competent human resources to meet the pressing demand.

The minister was addressing the fourth founding anniversary and university day of Varendra University at its proposed main campus in Rajshahi city on Tuesday as chief guest.

Lawmaker, Ayen Uddin, former mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation AHM Khairuzzaman Litan, adviser of the university Professor Saidur Rahman Khan, member of Bangladesh University Grants Commission Proffessor Shah Nawaj Ali, Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Professor Mijanuddin, Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology Professor Rafiqul Alam Beg and Vice-chancellor of North Bengal International University Professor Abdul Khaleque also spoke. Trustee Board chairman of Varendra University Hafizur Rahman Khan chaired the meeting.

Vice-chancellor of the university Professor Osman Ghani Talukder welcomed the participants while Pro-VC Professor Nurul Hossain Chowdhury offered the vote of thanks.

Education Minister Nahid said the private varsities should work with competency side by side with the public universities.

In the present context, there is no difference between public and private universities and both the institutions should have positive thinking on how to transform the students into worthy citizens.

Minister Nahid urged the teachers to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty so that the students build themselves competent for building the Digital Bangladesh.

He told the audience that there are 38 public universities and 91 private universities in the country at present. He said the higher seats of learning should take the responsibilities of taking forward the country’s higher education.

‘We have to resist those who are making profit in the name of expanding higher education,’ the minister added.

Earlier, students, teachers and others concerned of the university brought out a colourful rally and paraded the city’s main thoroughfares.

A cultural function was held in the second session of the daylong celebration.