On Wednesday, January 8, Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology hosted a reception for British Parliament Member Dr. Rupa Huq at their permanent campus auditorium in Uttara, Dhaka. The event, held at 4 PM, was presided over by the university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Md. Jahangir Alam, and featured Mohammad Shamsul Alam Liton, Chairman of the University Board of Trustees, as the chief guest.

Distinguished guests at the event included former State Minister for Education and Director of the university's Skill Development Institute, A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milan, Senior Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees Ariful Bari Majumdar, Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Litu, and member Md. Zunaid Ahmed. Additionally, Ashraful Haque Chowdhury, Managing Director of Star Infrastructure Development, Engineer M. Maksudur Rahman Bhuiyan from the UGC Planning and Development Division, Rashed Khan, General Secretary of Gana Odhikar Parishad, Abu Sayeed Leon, a central leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, along with the university's treasurer, faculty, staff, and students, attended the program.

The Registrar of the university, Md. Abdul Kaiyum Sardar, delivered the welcome address. Representatives from the Private University National Association of Bangladesh (PUNAB), including spokesperson Nazmul Ahsan, executive members Monalisa, Md. Asif Reza, and Ehsan Chowdhury, were also present. Student representatives from various universities participated in the event, posed questions to MP Rupa Huq, and shared their thoughts.

In her speech, Dr. Rupa Huq highlighted the significant transformation in Bangladesh before and after August 5. She credited young students for driving these changes, describing the "new Bangladesh" as a product of student-led revolutions. She urged the youth to seize the opportunities to build a sustainable future and to maintain the momentum of positive change.

Dr. Huq also praised the role of private university students during the July Movement, noting that they had reshaped perceptions about themselves. She emphasized the potential for collaboration between private universities in Bangladesh and institutions in Britain and Europe, pledging to work toward fostering such partnerships.

Former State Minister A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milan advocated for the practice of multi-party democracy in the country and welcomed the rise of new political movements led by young leaders.

Mohammad Shamsul Alam Liton, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, reflected on the turbulent past, stating that they did not want a return to the days of campus and street anarchy seen before August 5. He expressed his desire for peaceful campuses where no blood would be shed, and where police would never resort to violence against students. He stressed the need to compel politicians to implement these changes effectively.

The event concluded with Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Jahangir Alam extending his gratitude to all attendees and bringing the ceremony to a close.