The 45th convocation of Dhaka University will be held today. President Zillur Rahman will formally inaugurate the function at the central playground of DU in the morning.

The DU authorities have completed all preparations required for the celebration ahead of the ceremony.

The programme will start with a procession led by Zillur Rahman, also the chancellor of DU, at 11:30am. Members of DU senate, syndicate, academic council and others will march in the procession.

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The campus has already' put on a festive mood on the occasion. Main entrances of the campus have been decorated with colourful makeshift gates that convey warm welcome to the graduates, guests and others.

Marking the end to a journey in university, several thousand graduates yesterday were busy with taking photographs wearing special convocation gown, tie and hoods with their friends at the historic places and structures on the campus.

Graduates are directed to enter the main venue of the function at the central playground by 10:30am while members of senate, syndicate and academic council, teachers of the university and directors or principals of university's constituent institutions are requested to gather on Curzon Hall premises within 1030am to participate in the procession.

Guests are requested to arrive at the venue within 10:45am.

Three eminent professors--Nobel laureate Yuan T Lee of Genomic Research Centre in Taiwan, former DU student

and the inventor of Sono arsenic filter Abul Hussam and historian Ranajit Guha-will also receive honorary doctorate degree in the programme.

Prof Yuan will address the ceremony as the convocation speaker.

The convocation would be the biggest ceremony in 88-year history of DU considering the number of graduates and guests participating.

A total of 9,058 graduates-4,349 males and 4,709 females—will participate in the ceremony and receive their certificates while 34 graduates will receive 43 gold medals.

Hundreds of students took part in a rehearsal in the afternoon yesterday at the playground.

The ceremony is budgeted atTk 1 crore.

The first convocation ceremony at DU was held on February22,1923.

DU Proctor Saiful Islam Khan said movement of vehicles on and around campus would be restricted from 7:00am to the end of the function today. He also said security has been beefed up to avoid any untoward incidents on the campus.