Rajshahi University Statistics Department held its Golden Jubilee Celebrations on December 23–24, 2011, to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the department. The Statistics Department at Rajshahi University, Bangladesh, was founded by the late Professor Khondkar Manwar Hossain in 1961. It was through his dedicated efforts that the department now has about four hundred undergraduate majors, Master’s, and PhD students every year, with over 30 teaching faculty members. The department has a strong research group under the mentorship of Professor M. Nasser, Chairman of the Statistics Department.

The two-day Golden Jubilee Celebrations drew over 1600 participants which included among others alumni and current students and also former and present teachers of the statistics department. On the opening day there was a joy rally at the heart of the campus where national, university and two other flags were ceremoniously hoisted and doves were released by the guests of honor and then the participants walked through the campus in a procession to the assembly hall.

At the opening session Dr. Mir Masoom Ali, George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Statistics Emeritus at Ball State University, USA, delivered the Golden Jubilee Keynote Lecture, followed by the lectures by Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Rajshahi University and the Chairman of the Statistics Department. The rest of the afternoon was spent in viewing the poster sessions. The posters included many timely and important topics and were mainly prepared by the graduate students under the mentorship of their professors. The second day was mainly spent with invited plenary session presentations. The Golden Jubilee festivities ended in the evening with a fine cultural show that included songs and dances by local and national artists. The whole event was an outstanding success.