Dhaka University was established in the Ramna area of Dhaka City with approximately 600 acres of land. At first Dhaka University just had 3 faculties, Science, Arts and Law with 12 teaching departments, 60 teachers and 847 students with 3 resident halls.
The faculty of science started with three departments, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics; the Arts faculty had 8 departments, Sanskrit and Bangla, English, Education, Arabic and Islamic Studies, History, Persian and Urdu, Philosophy, and Political Economics; and the faculty of Law had one department, the Department of Law.
Number of faculties and department
There are 13 faculties with 67 departments, 8 institutions, 30 Bureau and research centers, 1,693 teachers and about 32,540 students and 17 residential halls and three hostels. Most of the faculty members possess degrees from universities from Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. A lot of them have experience teaching in a well-known institute of higher education abroad. Dr. Mohammad Yunus, a renowned economist and the founder of Grameen Bank, won the Noble Prize for peace in 2006 is an alumnus of Dhaka University.
Oxford of the east
Dhaka University has a large contribution to the emergence of a generation of leaders who distinguished themselves in many different walks of life. Initially, the teachers and students of the university worked hard for an outstanding record of achievement in education. The university earned the reputation of being calle d the Oxford of the East.
Until the partition of Bengal in 1947, Dhaka University had a unique character of being one of the few residential institutes of higher learning in Asia. Dhaka University had the authority over all educational institutes over the secondary level falling within East Bengal. Several new universities later emerged to little the burden of the Dhaka University. During the liberation war, the academic life of Dhaka University was greatly disrupted as many of its teachers, students and employees lost their lives.
Curzon Hall
The Curzon hall was built during the British reign in India. It is named after Lord Curzon who served as the viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. In 1904 the foundation stone of Curzon hall was laid by Lord Curzon and was originally intended to be used as the town hall.
After the partition of Bengal in 1905, the building was used as the Dhaka College campus in 1911. And later when Dhaka University was formed in 1921 the building became a part of the science faculty of the university. Its massive structure acts as a beacon for the strength and solidarity of education in this country.
Contribution to the liberation war of Bangladesh
The University of Dhaka paved the roads for Intellectual Movement in Bangladesh. The education of the middle-class society grew due to the institution. The university gave successful leadership during all democratic movements and national crises including the Language Movement of 1952, the Autonomy Movement of 1966, the mass movement of 1969, the War of Liberation of 1971 and the movement against the autocratic rule of Lt. General Hussein Mohammad Ershad in 1990. Lots of teachers, students, and employees of the university lot their lives during the movements. 19 teachers of the university were killed during the liberation war as a plan to kill the intellectuals of the country. Hundred and four students and one officer and twenty-eight employees die during the liberation war.
Central Shahid Minar and International Mother Language Day
The Central Shahid Minar at Dhaka University reminds us about the 21st February which is a glorious day for the people of West Bengal and all Bangla languages including Bangladesh. It is also known as Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day.
The Bengali people's language movement has been marked as one of the most memorable and glorious memories of the movement. On this day in 1952, just on this spot, some young men of Dhaka University were martyred by police firing on students who were demanding to make Bangla one of East Pakistan's state languages.
Among them are Rafiq, Jabbar, Shafiul, Salam, Barkat, and many others. Therefore, to commemorate this day we all Bangladeshi citizens come here at Central Shahid Minar and put the flower on the honor of them and this day has been marked as a martyr day. International Mother Language Day is celebrated worldwide on February 21, each year, according to a UN decision taken in 2010.
Other facilities of the university for the students
The university had its own Medical center, with 30 physicians. They provide free medical treatment to teachers, students and staff and the family of the teachers and staff of the university. They also have general medical devices to provide medical services, with the dental unit, Homeo medical unit, eye unit, X-ray and pathological unit.
The university also had facilities for indoor and outdoor games. With an official stadium of the university where they hold inter-department, inter-university and national level sports.
Dhaka University acts as the beacon of light and truth for the people of Bangladesh. Some of the greatest and brightest minds of the country are involved with the university. The university has a magnificent architecture blending with the evergreen nature all around, which makes it a must-visit place when you travel to Bangladesh.
Check out our Day Tours In and Around Dhaka to visit this historical university and Curzon Hall.
Full-Day Tour At Sonargoan (Old Capital)
National Parliament Building Tour
Tour To Old Dhaka and Sonargoan
Excursion to ManikGanj Baliati palace