DHAKA UNIVERSITY (DU)

Motto: "সত্যের জয় সুনিশ্চিত" ("Truth Shall Prevail")

Established: 1921

Type: Public, Coeducational

Chancellor: Mohammad Zillur Rahman, President of Bangladesh

Vice-Chancellor: AAMS Arefin Siddique

Faculty: 1,345

Students: 30,000

Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Campus: 600 acres (2.43 km²)

Website: www.univdhaka.edu



INTRODUCTION

The University of Dhaka (commonly referred to as Dhaka University or just DU) (Bengali: ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় Đhaka Bishshobiddalôe) is the oldest and the largest university in Bangladesh with more than 32,000 students and 1,600 teachers. The University of Dhaka is a public university situated in the heart of Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh.

The University of Dhaka demonstrated an inherent strength in its activities during its eventful and often critical existence since it was established in 1921. Today, the university provides trained human resources of Bangladesh engaged in education, science and technology, administration, diplomacy, mass communication, politics, trade and commerce, and industrial enterprises in all sectors.

University of Dhaka is one of the leading research institutes in Bangladesh as, according to WoS (Web of Science), research in Bangladesh is dominated by two institutes: the University of Dhaka and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) publishing 18% and 17% of all Bangladesh's publications, respectively.

It is the only university in Bangladesh to have been listed in AsiaWeek's listing of best Asian Universities in 2000 (64th in the overall category of 77 participating multi-disciplinary universities) and 1999 (37th) rankings

Aparajeyo Bangla

Trusts, Foundations and Scholarship Programmes

The University contains about 220 Trusts and Foundations offering scholarships and medals to meritorious students of the University. Besides, a large number of scholarships are also offered by the University, Dhaka University Alumni Association and the Government.

Halls of Residence

A dormitory is called a Hall in the university. Students admitted to the Departments and Institutes of the University have either to reside in or be attached to a hall of residence. The University has thirteen halls of residence and two hostels for male students; and four halls of residence and one hostel for female students. The administration of a hall is headed by a Provost who is assisted by a number of House Tutors and Assistant House Tutors while the administration of a hostel is controlled by a Warden assisted by Assistant Warden(s).

Currently, the construction of a Twin Hall (500+500 capacity) for female students is in progress.

Library

The University Library, housed in three separate buildings, is the largest in Bangladesh. The Library holds a collection of more than 617,000 volumes, including bound volumes of periodicals. In addition, it has a collection of over 30,000 manuscripts on various languages and a large number of microfilms, microfiche and CDs. It subscribes to over 300 current foreign journals. A complete automation of the system is in the process. The Confined Section of the Main Library Building contains numerous rare books.

University of Dhaka Library provides a wide range of scholarly electronic resources but, for licensing reasons, most of them have to be restricted to members of the University of Dhaka. A number of international electronic journals /research databases are made available via the PERI programme of INASP. Most of the resources can be accessed within the university network without any password where some of the resources require user ID and password.

Health Services: The University of Dhaka Medical Centre

The Medical Centre of the University of Dhaka, located near the Science Annex Building, offers free medical service and free pathological examinations to students, teachers and staffs of the University and also family members of the teachers and staffs. The Centre provides service round the clock, seven days a week, with 30 doctors working in different shifts. The Centre also has dental unit, eye unit, x-ray department and two ambulances. The Centre has in its premises arrangement for 30 bed accommodation so that students suffering from such contagious diseases as chicken pox, mumps, etc. may be taken care of in isolation.

Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired Students

A Resource Center for the Visually Impaired Students has been established in the Dhaka University Central Library under the joint collaboration of the University of Dhaka and an international organization, called Sight-savers. The Centre contains modern library facilities for the visually impaired students of the University.

Student Counseling and Guidance

The students Counselling and Guidance Service is an integral part of the academic programmes of students of the teaching Departments and Institutes of the University. It aims at helping students to adjust to campus life, effectively pursue curricular as well as co-curricular activities, develop their abilities for making wise choices and plans, and solve individual problems through counseling.

Sports and Extracurricular Activities

The University of Dhaka organizes sports and other extracurricular and recreational activities.

The Office of the Director of Physical Education provides three types of programmes:

Students of Charukala (Fine Arts)

* Compulsory Physical Education,
* Certificate Course in coaching major games and sports, and
* Intramural and Extramural programmes.

The University of Dhaka Ground is the official stadium of the University of Dhaka. It hosts many inter-collegiate sports tournaments at inter-city, provincial and national levels.

Intramural and Extramural Programme (Games and Sports)

The Directorate also organizes and conducts interdepartment and inter-hall tournaments, individual hall athletics, Dhaka University athletics, and Inter- University games and sports. University students participate in national championships in different games and sports for which prior training and coaching are offered.

Cafeteria

There are some cafeterias in the Dhaka University area. Some of them are historically important.The Madhur Canteen is not only a cafeteria, but also a place of historical interest of Bangladesh.

Transport
University of Dhaka has transport services for its students. Though the number of the bus is not sufficient for the vast student community it is a great dervice to students. The bus schedule for different parts of the city can
be found in the bus depot. The service is always on run even on university holidays, to help those students who come to university for library or teacher's council.

The Historic Madhur Canteen

Admission in Degree Honours Courses

Students who have passed the SSC and the HSC Examinations (after 12 years of schooling) or examinations equivalent to HSC of Bangladesh Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education with required GPA are considered eligible for admission to the Degree Honors Courses.

Admission is highly competitive and every year the University Admission Committee fixes a standard of academic attainment at the SSC and HSC levels. Selection of students for admission is made through admission tests. All candidates have to take part in MCQ tests and must score the pass marks to qualify in the admission test. Students who passed at least five subjects in the GCE "0" level and two subjects in the "A" level examinations are also eligible to apply for admission. They are required to obtain at least B Grade in three subjects and C Grade in other four subjects among the seven subjects of "0" Level and "A" Level.

Curzon Hall

Admission in Masters Courses

Students who pass the Honors Examinations of this University are admitted in the Masters programe. International students are also allowed to get admission in the Master’s degree programs if their academic records are found acceptable by the equivalence committee of the university.

Admission of International Students

International Students must apply well in advance through their respective embassy in Bangladesh to the Ministry of Education, Government of Bangladesh, enclosing evidence of examinations passed and transcripts of academic records.