Sylhet: Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Administrator Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury today emphasized the need for Sylhet to reclaim its former status as a leading region in education, citing its current lag in educational indicators. He called for collective efforts to restore the region's past glory.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Chowdhury made these remarks during a prize-giving ceremony and cultural function organized by Sylhet Government Women's College. He highlighted the historic role of Sylhet in women's education, noting the region's limited opportunities for higher education for women in the past. Despite these challenges, several pioneering women, such as Shamsi Khanam Chowdhury and Leela Nag, pursued higher education and made significant contributions.
Chowdhury acknowledged the role of Sylhet Government Women's College in expanding women's education, with many alumnae assuming leadership roles in various sectors. However, he noted that the college still faces developmental challenges despite being nationalized in the 1980s by former Finance and Planning Minister M. Saifur Rahman.
He pointed out the absence of career-oriented subjects at the college and emphasized the need for introducing new academic disciplines, creating necessary teaching positions, and working on infrastructural development. Addressing the students, he stressed the importance of the higher secondary stage in shaping future career paths and urged them to focus on their studies rather than spending excessive time on digital devices.
The event was welcomed by Anupa Nahar Waldo, convener of the college's literary and cultural competition committee. Special guests included the college's Principal, Professor Md. Samsul Islam, Vice-Principal Professor Dr. Mohammad Humayun Rashid Chowdhury, and Acting Secretary of the Teachers' Council, Assistant Professor Nahida Akter. Nehor Ranjan Purkayastha, officer for education, culture, library, and social welfare at SCC, along with teachers and students, were also present on the occasion.