Jahangirnagar University

Jahangirnagar University (Bengali: জাহাঙ্গীরনগর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, abbreviated as JU; initially started as Jahangirnagar Muslim University; Bengali: জাহাঙ্গীরনগর মুসলিম বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) is a fully residential public research university located in Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. As one of the five autonomous universities in the country, it is the fourth-oldest generalized public university and the fourth-largest university in Bangladesh.

Jahangirnagar University was established in East Pakistan by The Jahangirnagar Muslim University Ordinance, 1970 of the Government of Pakistan, which was amended by The Jahangirnagar Muslim University Act, 1973 of the government of independent Bangladesh to form the modern university.

Jahangirnagar University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in various disciplines, including arts, humanities, social science, natural science, biological science, business studies, law and engineering. It has produced several notable alumni who have contributed to the development of research, literature, education, culture and sports in Bangladesh. Jahangirnagar University is the sole fully residential university in Bangladesh, and is also renowned for the varied wildlife inhabiting its vast campus, hosting 126 species of native birds alongside 69 species of migratory birds.

The university has 36 departments under 6 faculties including the faculty of mathematical and physical sciences, faculty of social sciences, faculty of arts and humanities, faculty of biological sciences, and faculty of business administration and faculty of law and justice. It has several academic and research institutes including institute of Information technology, institute of Remote sensing and GIS, institute of Business administration, institute of Comparative literature and culture, Wazed Miah science research center, Wildlife conservation and research center, and Butterfly park and research center.

History

Jahangirnagar was the former name of Dhaka. The Mughal city of Dhaka was named Jahangirnagar (City of Jahangir) in honour of the erstwhile ruling Mughal Emperor Jahangir by Islam Khan in 1610.

Jahangirnagar University was established on 20 August 1970, but formally launched on 12 January 1971 under the Jahangirnagar Muslim University Ordinance, 1970 and this day is observed as University Day. Initially, it was named Jahangirnagar Muslim University, and the plan was to operate the university like Aligarh Muslim University. But after the independence of Bangladesh, its name changed to Jahangirnagar University under the Jahangirnagar University Act' 1973.

Its first vice-chancellor, Mafizuddin Ahmed (PhD in chemistry, Penn State) took up office on 24 September 1970. The 150 students in the first batch were enrolled in four departments: Economics, Geography, Mathematics, and Statistics. Its formal inauguration was delayed until 12 January 1971, when the university was launched by Rear Admiral S. M. Ahsan, the chancellor.

Its first project Director was Surat Ali Khan, Chemistry PhD/DIC from the Imperial College of London. He was a champion of women's education, as he himself had four daughters who led successful careers. He envisioned dormitories for women allowing them the same facilities as their male classmates. Khan went on to serve as the Educational and Cultural Attaché from the Bangladeshi/ East Pakistani Government to the United States Government in Washington DC.

Jahangirnagar University Act of 1973

ACT NO. XXXIV OF 1973, an act to repeal the Jahangirnagar Muslim University Ordinance, 1970 and to provide for reconstitution and reorganisation of the Jahangirnagar Muslim University.

Campus

The university stands on the west side of the Asian Highway, popularly known as the Dhaka–Aricha highway, and is 32 kilometres away from the capital. Spread over an area of 697.56 acres (2.8 km2), the campus is surrounded by the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) on the south, and the Savar Cantonment on the northeast, on the north of which is the National Monument (Jatiyo Smriti Soudho) and a large dairy farm on the east. JU is considered to have one of the most beautiful campus in Bangladesh. The topography of the land with its gentle rise and plains is pleasing to the eyes. The water features sprawled around the campus make an excellent habitat for the winter birds that flock in every year in the thousands and consequently, it is a site frequented by many bird watchers. On 19 January 2017, the university arranged a bird fair in its Zahir Rayhan auditorium. The Shahid Minar (martyrs' monument) of JU is the tallest in Bangladesh, 71 feet high and made of ceramic bricks on a base 52 feet in circumference. The height signifies the war of independence fought in 1971 and the circumference refers to the language movement of 1952. It is designed by architect Robiul Hossain.

Administration

The university is an autonomous body managed by an executive council known as 'The Syndicate'. Its statutes need ratification by the university senate, which meets at least once a year to do the same. The Senate passes the university's annual budget, reviews its academic matters, and elects a panel of three nominees for the position of its vice-chancellor once every four years. The selection and appointment are made by the president of Bangladesh, who is the chancellor of the university. The chancellor also appoints the pro-vice-chancellor and the treasurer of the university.

List of vice-chancellors

The first vice chancellor, Mafizuddin Ahmed, was appointed in 1970.

Academics

Jahangirnagar University is the only university in Bangladesh that preserves about 50% of the total seats for female students.

Faculties

There are 36 departments under six faculties.

Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Source:

• Dean: Farid Ahmed
• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Computer Science and Engineering
• Department of Environmental Sciences
• Department of Geological Sciences
• Department of Mathematics
• Department of Physics
• Department of Statistics and Data Science

Faculty of Social Sciences

Source:

• Dean: Bashir Ahmed
• Department of Anthropology
• Department of Economics
• Department of Geography and Environment
• Department of Government and Politics
• Department of Public Administration
• Department of Urban and Regional Planning

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Source:

• Dean: Md. Mozammel Hoque
• Department of Archaeology
• Department of Bangla
• Department of English
• Department of Drama and Dramatics
• Department of Fine Arts
• Department of History
• Department of International Relations
• Department of Journalism and Media Studies
• Department of Philosophy

Faculty of Biological Sciences

Source:

• Dean: Mafruhi Sattar
• Department of Botany
• Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
• Department of Microbiology
• Department of Pharmacy
• Department of Public Health and Informatics
• Department of Zoology

Faculty of Business Studies

• Dean: Abu Sayef Md Muntaquimul Bari Chowdhuri
• Department of Accounting and Information Systems
• Department of Finance and Banking
• Department of Marketing
• Department of Management Studies

Faculty of Law

Dean: MD. Robiul Islam PhD

Department of Law and Justice

Institutes

There are four institutes for specialised research and training:

Institute of Business Administration (E Unit) Jahangirnagar University (IBA-JU) started as the university's Department of Business Administration (DBA) in 1991. This institute is the first in Bangladesh to offer an undergraduate degree in business. It offers a four-year course of study leading to a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree, and an eighteen-month post-graduate Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Since May 2012, there is a Master of Business Administration program for the professionals in weekdays. As of October 2015, the institute admits 50 students every year to its undergraduate programme. IBA-JU offers : Banking and Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Accounting and Information Systems, Management Information Systems, Quantitative Business Analysis, Development Management, International Business as major IBA-JU has seven student organisations such as Infusion-The Cultural Club of IBA-JU, Communic, IBA-JU Business Club, IBA-JU Social Welfare Club, Envision:IBA-JU Photography Club, IBA-JU Sports Club and IBA-JU Debating Club.

Student life

With 21 residential halls, Jahangirnagar University is mandated to provide residential accommodation to every student with separate halls for female students. Each hall has its own administration system headed by a provost and is equipped with facilities such as playgrounds, rooms for indoor games, dining halls, etc.

Halls for male students

Al Beruni Hall: the oldest dormitory of the campus, named after Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī; it has an extension building.It was built in 1971

Mir Mosharrof Hossain Hall: named after Mir Mosharraf Hossain, noted for its beautiful butterfly-shaped architecture. The 2nd Male hall and established on 1991

A. F. M. Kamaluddin Hall: named after one of the ex-vice-chancellors of Jahangirnagar University A.F.M. Kamaluddin, a geographer, who died on duty.

Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall: named after Abdus Salam and Abul Barkat two language martyrs of the Bengali language movement,

Shahid Rafiq Jabbar Hall: named after another two language martyrs of Bengali language movement, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed and Abdul Jabbar.

Maulana Bhashani Hall: named after Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani.

Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque Hall: named after A. K. Fazlul Huq.

Bishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall: named after kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore.

Nawab Salimullah Hall: named after Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur, The forth Nawab of Dhaka.

Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall : named after Tajuddin Ahmed, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall : named after national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Halls for female students

Nawab Faizunnesa Hall: named after the educator Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani (1834–1903).

Fajilatunnesa Hall: named after the first Bengali female graduate in mathematics from University of Dhaka. The original hall became unusable due to its poor condition, prompting the relocation of students to a new hall with the same name.

Jahanara Imam Hall: named after Jahanara Imam.

Pritilata Hall: named after Pritilata Waddedar.

Begum Khaleda Zia Hall: named after Khaleda Zia, former prime minister of Bangladesh.

July 24 Jagoroni Hall: named after the July Revolution

Sufia Kamal Hall: named after kobi Sufia Kamal, a famous poet and a political activist.

Shaheed Felani Khatun Hall: named after Felani Khatun

Rokeya Hall: named after Begum Rokeya.

Bir Protik Taramon Bibi Hall: named after Bir Protik Taramon Bibi, female freedom fighter of Bangladesh.

Central Library

Established in 1985, the JU library is equipped with a huge collection of books. Located behind a monument of "Sangshaptak" (সংশপ্তক), the library is conveniently placed between the main academic buildings and the dormitories. The entire area has Wi-Fi coverage. There are more than 110,000 books, 14,000 hardbound journals, and 22,000 online journals in the library. The library can accommodate over 500 students at a time. There is a cyber centre on the premises. Airy with ample glass openings, the library is an elegant piece of architecture.

Notable people

Alumni

• Faruque Ahmed, theatre and television actor
• Kafil Ahmed, poet, singer, and painter of Bangladesh of contemporary age
• Azam Ali, scientist known for having developed a wound dressing
• AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, former MP of Bangladesh and former deputy minister of water resource
• Arindam Banik, IMI Kolkata Director
• Selim Al Deen, playwright and theatrical artist
• Shariff Enamul Kabir, chemist and former VC of JU
• Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, academic, Vice-chancellor of North South University and Chairman of Grameen Bank
• Humayun Faridi, theatrical performer
• C. Emdad Haque, academic, environmentalist, and author
• Fahmida Khatun, policy analyst and economist
• A A Mamun, famous plasma scientist
• Shibli Mohammad, dancer and choreographer
• Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, former MP of Bangladesh and ODI captain of Bangladesh National Cricket team
• Mohammad Rafiq, poet awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1987 and Ekushey Padak in 2010

Convocation

The first convocation of JU was held in 1997. Then the second, third, fourth, and fifth convocations took place during 2001, 2006, 2010, and 2015, respectively. The 6th convocation took place almost 8 years later, on 25 February 2023, where more than 15 thousand students participated. The acting vice-chancellor during the 6th convocation was Nurul Alam, and the chief guest was the chancellor and former president of Bangladesh, Mohammad Abdul Hamid.

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)