DEH Fall 2023 Orientation
On October 7, 2023, the Department of English and Humanities at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) held the Fall 2023 Orientation program to welcome incoming BA and MA students. The program, held at the ULAB Permanent Campus, was themed “Discover…Connect…Excel” to help students discover themselves, create connections, and make the best use of their skills. The Orientation Speaker was Ms. Farzana Akter Tisha, Executive Officer and Associate Customer Service Manager at Citygem, an alumna of the department.
The Orientation program commenced with an opening song by new faculty member, Jahanara Tariq, Lecturer, DEH; Sumaiya Swati Udita, incoming MA student, and Antara Roy (BA Batch 223). Following this, Ms. Arifa Ghani Rahman, Head of the Department, delivered an encouraging speech and warmly welcomed the freshers. She then introduced the faculty members as well as the Teaching Assistants and the administrative officers of the department.
Antara Roy then performed another song, “Tomar Ghore Bosot Kore,” accompanied by Md. Shayon Mia (BA Batch 232) and Faisal Hasan Anik (BA Batch 232). Professor Kaiser Haq, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, then gave an inspirational speech to the freshers. He welcomed the new faces and delivered his words of wisdom which was followed by another intriguing speech by Professor Shamsad Mortuza, Special Advisor to the ULAB Board of Trustees. Both professors spoke about building bonds, making connections, utilizing skills, and becoming the best version of oneself. A poetry recitation was then performed by Mst. Suraiya Alam (BA Batch 231). She recited “Tokhon Shotti Manush Chilam” by the late poet, Asad Chowdhury.
The Orientation Speaker, Ms. Farzana Akter Tisha, was then invited on stage to share her experiences as a DEH and ULAB alumna, and how these helped her succeed. She emphasized the importance of participating in co-curricular activities and encouraged students to volunteer at various departmental events and clubs, while also mentioning how these help to build connections with peers and faculty members. Ms. Farzana also reminisced about her time in the department where she was well-known for her photography skills.
Following her speech, Senior Lecturer Golam Kader Zilany, Advisor to the English Zone, proceeded to introduce the EZ to the freshers, the services offered, and invited weaker students to avail the services while others who are capable could assist by becoming Peer Tutors.
In the last performance of the cultural segment, Jannatul Tasnia (Batch 232), Faisal Hasan Anik, and Md. Sayon Mia came together to perform the song, “Tomar Jonne Nilche Tara.”
Naziah Alam, an MA fresher, spoke on behalf of the incoming MA Batch 233, sharing her experiences so far at DEH. Fatema Haque Shova then spoke on behalf of the BA Batch 233 freshers, detailing her excitement at starting a new campus life and her expectations of being a part of DEH.
The event concluded with Professor Kaiser Haq handing over a token of appreciation to Ms. Farzana, followed by a group photo with all the freshers, faculty members, volunteers, TAs, and admins of the department.
The program was organized by Assistant Professor, Dr. Abu Saleh Mohammed Rafi, and Senior Lecturers, Tanzia Siddiqua, and Al Mahmud Rumman as well as volunteers from Batches 223, 231, and 232, and was hosted by Sadia Hoque Akhi from Batch 222 and Sadia Mukarrama of MA Batch 232.
Report by Salman Al Farsy
