He made the remarks as the chief guest at the “Annual Conference 2026” organised by the Alumni Association of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka. The event was held on Saturday (August 22) night at the Helmet Hall of the Rawa Club Convention Centre in Dhaka’s Mohakhali.

At the event, the health minister recalled his student days at the University of Dhaka, the time he spent with his classmates and his memories of the Liberation War. He also paid tribute to the memories of deceased teachers and classmates of the department and prayed for the salvation of their souls.

Recalling the Liberation War, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said their academic life was disrupted by the war as students of the 1969-70 batch. After returning following the war and facing their examinations, they met the then head of the department, Dr. M. N. Huda. They explained that they had participated in the Liberation War and requested special consideration. With the sincere cooperation of their teachers, arrangements were made to help them resume and regularise their academic careers.

Recalling the contributions of his teachers, he said they had reached their present positions because of the guidance, affection and support of their distinguished teachers.

Speaking about his responsibilities at the Ministry of Health, the minister said he wanted to discharge the major responsibility entrusted to him by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman with honesty and integrity. As a former student of the Department of Economics, he also said one of his key goals was to serve the country while enhancing the reputation of his academic department.

Economist Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, former adviser to the interim government Wahiduddin Mahmud Chowdhury, Chairman of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka Dr. Ferdousi Nahar, and DU Economics Department Alumni Association (DUEDAA) President Syed Ali Jawhar Rizvi, along with former and current teachers and students of the department, attended the event.