1. A Call to Think, Not Just Believe
On a quiet morning at Dhaka University, beneath the familiar bustle of campus life, a room filled with some of the university’s brightest minds took part in an occasion that was equal parts celebration and challenge. The Dean’s Awards were being conferred on teachers and students who had distinguished themselves through their work, and the atmosphere was one of pride and anticipation. But the address that followed was not simply a string of congratulations. It was a reminder of what true education demands, especially in an age where falsehoods travel faster than facts. Speaking as the chief guest, the Prime Minister’s Economic and Planning Adviser, Prof Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, used the moment to deliver a message that was both timely and profound: there is no alternative to critical thinking and research-based knowledge practices in the fight against false information and misinformation. It was a statement aimed not just at the award recipients, but at the entire university community — a call to understand that knowledge is not a passive inheritance, but an active, rigorous pursuit. He spoke of a world increasingly saturated with claims and counterclaims, where carefully crafted lies can look and feel like truth, and where opinions are often mistaken for evidence. In such a landscape, he argued, the only dependable safeguard is a mind trained to question, to examine, and to demand proof. Critical thinking is not merely a skill; it is a survival tool for modern society. Without it, we are at the mercy of those who manipulate information for power or profit. With it, we become citizens who cannot be easily deceived. His words carried a sense of urgency, because the cost of ignoring this responsibility is not just personal confusion, but collective harm — fractured public discourse, weakened institutions, and the erosion of trust in knowledge itself. At a public university, the birthplace of so much of a nation’s intellectual life, this warning is especially significant. The event at Dhaka University was thus not just a ceremonial award ceremony; it was a reminder that the purpose of education goes far beyond personal success. It is about shaping minds capable of defending and advancing the truth.
2. The Courage to Question Everything
For the students who received Dean’s Awards, Prof Titumir had a direct and demanding message: do not simply follow the conventional paths of knowledge. He encouraged them to ask questions, to challenge accepted ideas, and to assess issues through reason rather than through memory or habit. This may sound simple, but in practice it is one of the hardest things a student can do. Institutional education often rewards compliance — remembering the right answer, reproducing it in an exam, and moving on. But real learning, Titumir suggested, begins where repetition ends. It starts with curiosity and a willingness to doubt. He urged the young scholars not to treat their fields of study as fixed territories, but as living landscapes that need exploration and reimagination. Their job, as students of the nation’s premier university, is not merely to absorb what is already known, but to contribute to creating new knowledge. That is what sets a truly educated person apart: the ability to see what others have overlooked, to connect what seems disconnected, and to produce ideas that advance human understanding. The emphasis on asking questions is not a call to reckless skepticism, but to disciplined inquiry. It is the kind of questioning that is guided by evidence, logic, and a genuine desire to understand. In an age of misinformation, such questioning becomes a civic duty. When false narratives circulate, they often do so because too many people accept without examining. They share without verifying. They believe without asking who benefits from the belief. Prof Titumir’s advice to students is essentially a call to break this habit. To reason through an issue is to separate emotion from evidence, to distinguish correlation from causation, and to be willing to change one’s mind when new information appears. This kind of intellectual maturity is rare, even in adults, but it must be cultivated at universities. For Dhaka University students, this means more than doing well in exams. It means developing a habit of thought that will guide them through every career, every decision, and every public debate they participate in. The Dean’s Awards, in this light, are not just recognition of past achievement. They are a challenge to keep going, to keep asking, and to keep creating.
3. The Real Mission of a Public University
Prof Titumir did not limit his remarks to the students; he also spoke about the institution itself. He reminded the audience that the primary responsibility of a public university is to develop a sense of citizenship, skills, and innovative capabilities. This is a crucial point, especially in a country where higher education is often measured by admission rates, exam results, or the number of graduates produced each year. But the true value of a public university lies in its ability to shape people who can think, act, and contribute to society in meaningful ways. Citizenship means more than holding an ID card; it means understanding one’s rights and responsibilities, engaging in public life, and working for the common good. Skills mean more than technical ability; they mean the aptitude to solve problems, adapt to change, and create value in the world. And innovative capabilities mean more than coming up with new gadgets; they mean the intellectual courage to question the status quo and envision better ways of organizing human life. Titumir was careful to emphasize that Dhaka University should not be developed merely as a “teaching university” — an institution that passes on existing knowledge from one generation to the next. That is a necessary function, but it is not enough. A university at this level must also be an institution that creates knowledge. It must be a place where research is not marginal but central; where professors are not just lecturers but active scholars; where students are not just learners but emerging contributors to their fields. This vision applies to all disciplines — the humanities, the social sciences, the natural sciences, and beyond. It applies to the questions we ask about history, culture, economy, environment, health, and technology. It also applies to how we understand Bangladesh itself — its challenges, its possibilities, and its place in the world. A knowledge-creating university does not import ideas without adaptation; it produces ideas grounded in local reality and of global significance. This is how a country moves from being a consumer of knowledge to a producer of it. And this is how a university strengthens its nation. Titumir’s words were, therefore, not merely a philosophy of education. They were a strategic vision for national development, made in one of the most important rooms in the country.
4. Science, Mathematics, and the Spirit of Research
Another central point of Prof Titumir’s speech was the need to expand science and mathematics education. He insisted that Dhaka University should take the lead in this effort, not only by producing scientists and mathematicians, but by developing skills and ensuring research-based education across the board. Science and mathematics are often feared as difficult subjects. They are sometimes seen as separate from ordinary life, reserved for a narrow few who are naturally gifted. But in truth, these disciplines are fundamental to how we understand the world and solve its problems. They teach us to observe, to calculate, to test, and to revise. They train our minds to be precise, logical, and open to evidence. In the era of misinformation, science and mathematics are also the most powerful tools for distinguishing reality from fabrication. They give us the methods to verify claims, to measure effects, and to predict outcomes. Without these skills, citizens are vulnerable to every kind of pseudo-science, conspiracy theory, and irrational fear. Prof Titumir’s call to expand these fields is therefore a call to strengthen the nation’s intellectual immune system. But he was not simply talking about producing more engineers or data analysts. He was talking about integrating scientific thinking into the entire educational culture. A student of history, literature, or economics can also benefit from the discipline of systematic inquiry. A journalist, a public official, or a business leader must be able to interpret data and reason probabilistically. Research-based education, as he described it, is about learning by doing — through projects, experiments, fieldwork, and analysis — rather than through passive memorization. This kind of education is harder to deliver. It requires resources, laboratories, libraries, time, and trained mentors. It requires a syllabus that values depth over coverage and curiosity over conformity. But it is the only kind of education that truly prepares students for the complexities of the modern world. Titumir stressed that higher education should not be confined to obtaining certificates. The world is tired of paper degrees that represent little more than attendance. What is needed is genuine knowledge and skills that can be applied to real problems. His message to the award-winning students was unambiguous: your value lies not in the diploma you hang on the wall, but in what you are genuinely capable of thinking, creating, and doing.
5. Academic Freedom and Public Accountability
No discussion of a public university would be complete without talking about the balance between freedom and responsibility, and Prof Titumir addressed this directly. He said that while maintaining academic freedom and autonomy at public universities funded by taxpayers’ money is essential, ensuring good governance, accountability, and public interest is equally essential. This is a delicate balance. Academic freedom is the lifeblood of a university. Without it, scholars cannot pursue uncomfortable truths, students cannot question powerful orthodoxies, and research cannot challenge conventional wisdom. It protects the university from political interference and ideological capture. It creates a space where thought is free and expression is open. But freedom is not the same as impunity. Public universities are not private clubs. They are financed by public resources, and they exist to serve public purposes. This means they must be answerable to the people whose money sustains them — not through micromanagement or censorship, but through transparent governance and responsible conduct. Accountability in a university means that decisions are made fairly, resources are used wisely, and standards are maintained honestly. It means that appointments and promotions are based on merit, not patronage. It means that research is conducted ethically and that conflicts of interest are disclosed. It also means that universities listen to the needs of their society — the needs of industry, of agriculture, of health, of governance, of culture — and align their work with those needs without sacrificing their independence. There is no easy formula for this balance. It requires constant vigilance and mature leadership. But Titumir’s point is that public interest and academic freedom are not opposites. In a healthy university, they reinforce each other. A university that is free to inquire is more useful to the public, because its findings are more credible. And a university that serves the public is more deserving of the freedom it enjoys, because it demonstrates its value. For Dhaka University, this is a lesson of profound importance. As the country’s oldest and most influential institution of higher learning, it sets an example for everyone else. If it can maintain this balance — freedom with responsibility, autonomy with accountability, excellence with relevance — it can be a model for the entire region.
6. A Vision for the Future of Knowledge in Bangladesh
Taken together, Prof Titumir’s words painted a clear and inspiring vision for the future. He did not come to deliver a routine formal address. He came to remind everyone that education in Bangladesh is at a crossroads. The information age offers unprecedented access to knowledge, but it also spreads unprecedented confusion. Misinformation, disinformation, and false narratives are not just social media problems; they are threats to democracy, public health, economic progress, and social harmony. Against these threats, the young scholars of Dhaka University have a special role to play. They are the ones who can defend reason with evidence, who can uphold truth with courage, and who can create new knowledge that future generations will rely upon. But this role will not be handed to them. It must be claimed through hard work, intellectual honesty, and a deep commitment to the public good. The Dean’s Awards recognized students and teachers who have already shown promise in this direction. Yet the larger challenge remains. How do we build a society where critical thinking is valued over blind obedience? How do we create institutions that reward genuine inquiry rather than mere conformity? How do we ensure that our universities are truly universities in the deepest sense — places where knowledge is not only preserved but expanded, not only taught but questioned, not only celebrated but held to the highest standards? Prof Titumir’s answer is that this work begins with us, and it begins now. It begins with students who refuse to accept easy answers. It begins with teachers who inspire doubt as well as confidence. It begins with leaders who protect academic freedom and demand accountability. And it begins with a public that understands the value of education not as a personal asset, but as a common good. Dhaka University, the epicenter of Bangladesh’s intellectual life, has been the stage for many historic moments in the nation’s life. The event at which these awards were presented may not be remembered as one of the most dramatic, but it may well be one of the most important. For in that room, a distinguished scholar told the next generation that their greatest power is not their certificate, but their mind; not their ability to remember, but their ability to think; not their willingness to conform, but their courage to create. That is a message that deserves more than applause. It deserves to be lived. And if it is lived, there is no challenge — not misinformation, not uncertainty, not national or global crisis — that the youth of Bangladesh cannot overcome.