North South University’s (NSU) Anthropology Program under the Department of Political Science and Sociology has hosted ‘Bangladesh Anthropology Symposium 2026’ today (07 October 2026) at Audi 801. The event brought together university leaders, faculty members, scholars, and students for academic reflection, recognition, and cultural performances.
The event started with a welcome speech by Professor Rizwan Khair, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Sociology, NSU, who traced the department's journey from offering General Education courses to developing full undergraduate degree programs, beginning with the BSS in Anthropology. 
In his remarks, Professor Rizwanul Islam, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said that critical thinking has become an essential intellectual tool for understanding social change and shaping the future of humanity.
Addressing the students, Professor Abdur Rob Khan, Treasurer of North South University, encouraged them to look beyond formal coursework and engage more deeply with society. He noted that he has particular potential to broaden students' understanding of society and human experience. 
Introducing the keynote speaker, Professor Bulbul Siddiqi, Director of the Confucius Institute and a faculty member in the Anthropology Program, reflected on Professor Alam's academic journey and his contributions to the growth of anthropology education in Bangladesh. 
In his keynote address, Professor S M Nurul Alam, former Professor of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University, shared reflections from his academic career and recalled the early development of anthropology education in Bangladesh. He urged students not to reduce their university experience to earning a high CGPA, but to approach anthropology as a way of understanding life, society, and human relationships. 
Professor Alam also encouraged the NSU Anthropology faculty to maintain a strong balance between theory and practical knowledge in the curriculum. Contemporary social challenges, he observed, cannot always be understood or addressed through theory alone. Anthropological education, therefore, must connect conceptual knowledge with lived realities.
The symposium was chaired by Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice Chancellor of North South University. He announced plans for an academic exchange initiative between the NSU Anthropology Program and the Department of Ethnology at Yunnan University, China. Under the proposed arrangement, NSU students would have opportunities to spend a full academic year at Yunnan University, significantly expanding their international academic exposure.
A major feature of the symposium was the formal reception of the second batch of Anthropology students admitted in Fall 2026. The academic sessions were followed by a vibrant cultural program organized and performed by NSU Anthropology students. Songs, poetry, dance, and other performances transformed the symposium from an academic gathering into a celebration of cultural diversity, creativity, and student participation.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Mohammed Hossen; Dr. Mohammed Abdul Baten, Coordinator of the Anthropology Program, was also present. Rahma Raisa and Nazhat Nahian Taimur, students from the first batch of the NSU Anthropology Program, hosted the program.