By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Dubai: In a significant move aimed at improving the infrastructure in Aligarh Muslim University, the AMU Alumni Forum United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it will build a complex to accommodate 1,000 students, proposed to be built within the AMU campus.
The proposal of the building, named “Sheikh Zayed Complex” was unveiled during a grand Mushaira “Shaam-e-Majaz” organized by the Forum in Dubai on Thursday May 19, 2016.
“Whenever our forum does an event meant for entertainment in Dubai, we always try to push for some constructive work, which can help our community back in India,” S.M. Qutbur Rahman, President, AMU Alumni Forum UAE told TwoCircles.net
The building is named after the Founder of U.A.E, Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who visited AMU in 1975 and financially helped its Chemical Engineering Department.
The proposed project for AMU will include facilities like hostel, dining hall, administrative building, coaching cell, indoor/outdoor sports complex, mosque and library. This initiative will ensure that the students in AMU are provided with facilities at par with other international-level universities.
“Building this Complex is our dream project and we have made a lot of efforts to convince President of U.A.E, H.H. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to approve a fund of Rs 30 crore,” said Rahman.
“We have already written a letter to AMU VC to allot us land where we can construct the complex as they have also to work within the ambit of UGC Guidelines. Now AMU VC has to take call on what they want in this complex,” he added.
The AMU Forum UAE was constituted in 2008 and since then the forum has been significantly contributing towards the growth of AMU.
Rahman, who studied Civil Engineering from AMU in 1990 and later moved to Saudi Arabia for work, was elected as its president in 2012.Rahman is now CEO of Dubai based construction group, Asian Group of Companies.
Earlier, the forum under the leadership of Rahman managed to get funds worth Rs 10 crore for AMU sports facilities for boys and girls from Dr. M.A. Yusuf Ali, Renowned businessman & Chairman of Dubai based Lulu Group.
“AMU Alumni are spread across all over the world working in different capacities. We need to come together and help the community back in India,” reiterated Rahman.
While sharing his apprehensions about the lack of educational access to Muslims in India, Rahman said, “Educationally, Muslims in India are quite backward and lot of effort is needed to put them on track. We are working hard to contribute.”
“We are also focusing on starting primary schools in seven Muslim populated districts of Bihar,” he added.