Around 1,500 former students of Rajshahi University are expected to gather in the capital on Saturday, 31 October, for a day-long reunion organised by the Rajshahi University Alumni Association, Dhaka (RUAA Dhaka).
The event, centred on the theme of shared memories, friendship and enduring ties to their alma mater, will bring together graduates from different batches and generations. It is expected to offer an opportunity for former classmates, seniors and juniors to reconnect, exchange experiences and renew relationships shaped during their years at the university.
The programme will begin at 10 am at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in Farmgate, Dhaka. Organisers expect approximately 1,500 alumni, widely known as Rabians, to participate in the day’s activities. The gathering is expected to create a lively atmosphere of nostalgia, camaraderie and mutual goodwill.
Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, former vice-president of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) and acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has agreed to attend as the chief guest.
The special guests will include Professor Md Rafiqul Islam, former vice-chancellor of Islamic University and current chairman of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, and Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh.
Abdul Mannan, convener of RUAA Dhaka, will preside over the event. Ayub Ali Khan, convener of the organising committee, will conduct the main proceedings, while KM Arifuzzaman, member-secretary of the association, will present its annual report.
According to the organisers, the gathering is not simply a formal annual meeting or a conventional alumni reunion. It is an initiative aimed at strengthening communication, fraternity, unity and mutual understanding among former students. With alumni now living and working in different parts of the country and across various professional fields, the event will provide a valuable opportunity to renew old friendships and establish fresh connections.
For many graduates, Rajshahi University represents far more than an institution of higher education. It is closely associated with some of the most memorable years of their lives, encompassing youthful ambitions, academic experiences, friendships and personal growth.
The university’s green campus at Motihar, the iconic Paris Road, the Central Shaheed Minar and the sculpture ‘Sabas Bangladesh’ remain familiar landmarks in the memories of generations of students. So do the classrooms, teachers, campus gatherings and countless informal conversations with friends. These shared experiences have helped create a lasting sense of belonging among its former students.
Since graduating, alumni have pursued careers in diverse fields. Some have become teachers, others administrators, politicians, entrepreneurs and professionals in different sectors. Their responsibilities and geographical locations may have changed, while the passage of time has gradually reduced opportunities to meet old classmates. Yet their emotional attachment to the university remains strong.
The reunion is expected to bridge some of those distances, bringing together people who may not have seen one another for years. It will also create an opportunity for alumni from different generations to interact, share professional and personal experiences and strengthen the association’s network.
The organisers and prospective participants hope the gathering will help preserve the values of friendship, affection, mutual respect and communal harmony associated with Rajshahi University. They believe that maintaining these connections beyond university life is an important part of preserving the institution’s shared heritage.
Although the familiar days of campus life cannot be recreated, the friendships and memories formed there continue to bring former students together. For the approximately 1,500 Rabians expected in Dhaka, Saturday’s gathering will be an opportunity to reconnect with their roots, revisit cherished memories and celebrate the enduring bond they share with their alma mater.
