For thousands of Dhaka University graduates, tossing a black mortarboard high into the air marks the ultimate, hard-earned finale to years of academic toil.
Yet, as campus preparations ramp up for the institution’s 54th Convocation scheduled for 26 January 2027, growing outrage over steep registration fees and subpar paraphernalia threatens to turn that long-cherished dream into a luxury few can afford.
The heart of the dispute lies in a sharp tariff structure approved by the university administration.
Bachelor’s and Honours graduates face a Tk3,500 registration charge, whilst Master’s alumni must stump up Tk5,000.
Professional degree holders, including MBBS, BDS, MPhil, and PhD candidates, are billed Tk6,000, and evening programme participants are hit with an eye-watering Tk8,000 fee.
Compared to the 53rd Convocation in 2022, when Master’s and Bachelor’s fees stood at Tk4,320 and Tk3,320 respectively, the escalating prices have sparked widespread condemnation, particularly amongst jobseekers managing tight budgets on private tuition earnings.
Sadik, a Chemistry graduate studying for public service exams at the Central Library, typifies the plight facing many alumni across campus.
He explains that job application forms, books, and coaching have already drained his savings, and after completing his degree, he feels embarrassed asking his family for financial help.
Surviving on what he earns from private tuition, he notes that spending such a significant sum purely on convocation registration is simply out of reach.
It is not merely the price tag rankling graduates, but also the perceived lack of value.
Students have voiced fierce dissatisfaction over paying premium rates for second-hand, recycled gowns that must be returned immediately after the ceremony, alongside mediocre food and low-quality mementos.
The issue has quickly mobilised campus groups into action.
Convener of the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front’s university unit, Mozammel Haque, slammed the charges as completely out of reach for ordinary graduates, demanding an immediate review across all academic tiers and warning of student-led protests if fees are not brought down.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir submitted a formal three-point memorandum to the administration pressing for lower fees, higher-quality robes and mementos, and a permanent framework to guarantee regular annual convocations.
For its part, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal stated it has not yet taken an organisational stance on the matter.
Responding to the mounting backlash, Dhaka University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Abdus Salam expressed sympathy for struggling alumni but offered little prospect of an immediate U-turn.
He clarified that no fresh discussions had taken place, explaining that the rates were finalised and approved through multiple university bodies after taking into account previous fees, recent inflation, and total event expenditures.
With tempers flaring across departments and threats of student agitations looming, campus authorities face a pressing deadline to decide whether to adjust the tariff structure or risk holding a flagship ceremony defined by empty seats.
