IUTDS hosts IUT InterVarsity Debate Tournament 2023

After nine years of hiatus, IUTDS organised the IUT InterVarsity Debate Tournament 2023.

It commenced on 8 September with the Opening Ceremony attended by IUT Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Omar Jah and IUTDS Moderator Dr ARM Harunur Rashid, Professor, Department of MPE, IUT. 
Finally, Chowdhury Sakif Ahbab, President Of IUTDS warmly welcomed the participants to this 3 day long event. 

The opening ceremony was also attended by the 2022 World Universities Debating Champion, Sajid Asbat Khandaker, who promptly took a  live session on Practical Argumentation, kicking off the tournament with high expectations. 
Thirty-two teams from over 20 universities participated in this grand tournament.

The format was British Parliamentary debate, with Opening and Closing Houses, Opening and Closing Government, and Opening and Closing Opposition. After extremely competitive 5 preliminary rounds, eight teams advanced to the Open Semi-finals of the tournament. BUP, IBADU, KUET, IUT, IUB, NSU, and BUET succeeded, with IUT being the only institution with two teams in the open semifinals!

In the Novice category, four teams advanced to the Novice finals- IUT debaters showed their excellence here also. In the end, IBAJUDC 1 consisting of Nayla Mehjabin and Fatin Anjum Aishee earned the glory of Novice Champions, while IUT IZ consisting of Zuhaeer Bhuiyan and Ali Intisar Samin became the runners-up of the novice finals.

The Open Champion of the tournament was BUETDC 1 consisting of Faisal Raihan and Sanjana Zaman, and the runners-up was KUET 1 consisting of Ifat Rahman Maruf and Shariar Kabir Rahat. Faisal Raihan earned the prize of being the best Debater of the Finals.

But this was IUT IV after all, and IUTDS wanted to create not just an ordinary debate tournament, but an unforgettable memory. True to that objective, the first day had a refreshing social night for all attendees, with delicious food and our own IUTian guitar performances- indeed an surreal experience for everyone with the beautifully decorated IUT Auditorium.

On 10th, the gorgeous closing ceremony was held at the ballroom of Lakeshore,Gulshan. The ceremony became special with the presence of Honourable Chief Guest, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Bangladesh, His Excellency Haji Haris bin Haji Othman and Honourable Special Guest, Dr. Abdunur Sekindi, Director General for Science and Technology, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Overall, IUTDS is extremely proud of this tournament, with the compliments of debaters' and judges about  how this was the best debating tournament they've been to in recent memory. This tournament was successful in bringing back the offline debating scene after the long break of COVID - 19, and everyone enjoyed the debate. The tournament had furious competition, and diligent adjudication, but most importantly- it made stayed true to the name Red Heaven, a place of utmost hospitality, and celebrating every guest that came on.