Campus Desk

A contingent of student awardees from Daffodil International University (DIU) has safely returned to Dhaka after successfully completing their "Adventurous Journey" under the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award framework.

Despite encountering severe monsoonal hazards, including torrential rains, flash floods, and coastal weather warnings across the Chattogram and Cox's Bazar regions, the team managed to execute all their mapped field objectives with zero casualties.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a globally recognized non-formal education and learning framework operating in over 120 countries. Designed for young individuals aged 14 to 24, the program instills self-reliance, leadership, and problem-solving capabilities through physical and outdoor endurance. At DIU, the program is coordinated by the Office of the Students’ Affairs as a core experiential learning platform to foster civic responsibility outside traditional classroom boundaries.

The recent trek faced severe logistical disruptions from its inception, as relentless downpours caused major blockages along the rail and road networks connecting Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. Turning the environmental challenge into a practical leadership exercise, the student awardees took full charge of team coordination, time management, logistics, and field discipline. The participants carried out their rigorous task-based activities across pre-designated coastal coordinates, including Patuartek, Inani, and Cox's Bazar beach, under strict compliance with safety guidelines.

The student cohort was guided by a dedicated team of DIU Award Leaders, comprising Fayazunnesa Chowdhury, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Software Engineering; Kawsar Haamid, Assistant Administrative Officer; Chandan Haider, Administrative Officer; and Fahmi Hasan, Assistant Director. The leaders monitored group movements, psychological resilience, and emergency preparedness throughout the hazardous itinerary.

"This expedition was far from a conventional recreational tour; it served as an intensive, real-world leadership crucible," remarked Senior Lecturer Fayazunnesa Chowdhury upon the team's arrival in Dhaka. "Confronting hostile weather, long treks, and complex time constraints taught our students how to maintain emotional composure, manage group dynamics, and make critical decisions under pressure. The discipline and teamwork they demonstrated will significantly shape their corporate careers and social accountability."

University officials said, successful execution of the trek under such extreme climate conditions underscores DIU's institutional commitment to producing globally competitive, resilient citizens through robust co-curricular and adventure-based learning frameworks.