Sylhet, Nov 09 (V7N) — North East University Bangladesh (NEUB) officially inaugurated its three-day NEUB ICT Fest 2025 on Saturday morning at the Sheikhghat campus, celebrating innovation and technological learning in a vibrant and festive environment. The opening ceremony was led by NEUB Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Eng. Mohammad Iqbal and Ahmed Enayet Manjur, Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of Pubali Bank PLC. The event was presided over by Dr. Arif Ahmad, Dean of the School of Social Science and Engineering and Head of the CSE Department, who also serves as the coordinator of the ICT Fest.

The festival, designed to cultivate a tech-savvy new generation, has attracted over 400 students from universities across Sylhet. Participants will compete in six events including a Hackathon, Programming Contest, Math Olympiad, ICT Quiz, 3-Minute Presentation, and Gaming Contest.

Vice-Chancellor Dr. Iqbal emphasized the importance of technology in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, stating, “In today’s world, knowledge of information technology is indispensable. Innovations and artificial intelligence are rapidly expanding technological capabilities. This festival aims to familiarize students with advanced technology and encourage creative thinking.” He further highlighted NEUB’s commitment to providing contemporary education to its students.

Ahmed Enayet Manjur of Pubali Bank PLC remarked on the significance of artificial intelligence, noting, “AI will not replace humans, but those who understand AI will outpace those who do not. Awareness and learning of AI is essential for everyone. Pubali Bank has always supported NEUB and will continue to do so in the future.”

Dr. Arif Ahmad added that AI complements human creativity rather than replacing it, offering students opportunities to enhance their innovative thinking through such events.

Other dignitaries attending the opening included Pubali Bank’s General Manager Md. Shafiul Hasan, Deputy General Manager Md. Fazlul Kabir Chowdhury, Md. Ruhul Amin, Assistant General Manager Md. Fasih Uddin Mahtab, Md. Mahmud Un Nabi, Ujjal Haldar, Md. Mahbub Ahsan, Samarendra Nath Roy, Md. Zainal Ahmed, and Ashik Ahmed.

The program was hosted by Md. Wahidul Awal Sani, a fourth-semester CSE student, and attended by NEUB Trustee Board Secretary and Controller of Examinations Md. Liakat Ali Shah Faridi, English Department Head and Proctor Mohammad Shamsul Kabir, Director of Finance Ashok Ranjan Chowdhury, CSE Department Associate Professors Rathindra Chandra Gop, Rana Peer, Assistant Professor Shahadat Hossain Parvez, Rajshree Projjol Talukdar, Khadem Md. Asifuzzaman, Pinak Chowdhury, Mumtaina Namou, Lecturer Zahidul Islam, Pritam Pal, and Nadim Ahmed.

Organized by the CSE Department, NEUB’s ICT Fest will run until November 9, featuring a total prize pool exceeding Tk 1 lakh. Winners of each event — champions, runners-up, and second runners-up — will receive attractive awards, which will be distributed by distinguished figures from the country’s top universities and IT sector on Sunday.

Financial support for the fest has been provided by Pubali Bank PLC and North East Hospital, Sylhet. Various segments of the festival are being supported by technology companies including CodePanja, Indetechs Software Ltd, Infinity Flame Soft, and X-Press Technologies, among others, fostering both educational and experiential learning for participants.

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