Lesson 2/44 min
Dhaka University at a glance
Key facts
- Location: Ramna, Dhaka
- Slogan: ‘Shikkhai Alo’ (education is light); the present logo was designed by Samarjit Roy
- Dhaka University Day: 1 July
- The chancellor is the President; a Vice-Chancellor serves for 4 years
- The only non-residential hall: Curzon Hall (built 1904)
- Per the book: 13 faculties, 84 departments (the latest Public Health), 13 institutes, 56 research centres; 19 residential halls (14 for men, 5 for women) and 3 hostels
- The Greek monument is at the TSC; the ‘7 March Bhaban’ is at Dhaka University
- Became an autonomous institution in 1973 (Dhaka University Order, 1973)
Watch out: The numbers of departments, faculties and halls change over time. The figures above are those printed in the book; check the latest before an exam.
Special days
| Day | Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Black Day | 23 August | In 2007, under the caretaker government, teachers and students were harassed by army and police |
| Mourning Day | 15 October | In 1985 a roof collapse at Jagannath Hall killed 39 people |
Convocation
- First convocation: 22 February 1923; first speaker Lord Lytton (per the book)
- First convocation in independent Bangladesh: 18 December 1999
- The English word for samabartan is Convocation
Did you know?: The first post-independence convocation was planned for 15 August 1975, with Bangabandhu present. It could not be held because he was killed with his family that morning; it took place in 1999.
DUCSU
- DUCSU is the Dhaka University Central Students' Union, founded in 1924 and called the ‘second parliament’
- The election after a 28-year gap was held on 11 March 2019 (the 37th); the then VP was Nurul Haque Nur
- The first president of the women's union was Charupadma Basu (Khandokar); Zubair spells the name Charupama Basu, the second woman teacher of the English department
Watch out: The book's DUCSU information is out of date. Voting was held on 9 September 2025 and results announced on 10 September: VP Shadik Kayem (the Shibir-backed panel won 23 of 28 seats) and GS S. M. Farhad.
Chairs at Dhaka University
| Chair | Department |
|---|---|
| Dr. Ahmad Sharif Chair | Bangla |
| Bose Chair (named after Satyendranath Bose) | Physics |
| Abdur Razzaq Chair | Political Science |
| Begum Rokeya Chair | Women and Gender Studies |
| Bangabandhu Chair | History |
| Mokarram Hossain Khondker Chair | Chemistry |
Watch out: Many books place the Bose Chair in the Bangla department; Zubair (citing the DU Registrar's office) says the Bose Chair named after Satyendranath Bose is in Physics.
Check yourself
When are Dhaka University's Black Day and Mourning Day?
At a glance
- 1
DU's slogan is ‘Shikkhai Alo’; Dhaka University Day is 1 July; the only non-residential hall is Curzon Hall.
- 2
Black Day is 23 August (2007); Mourning Day is 15 October (1985, Jagannath Hall roof collapse, 39 deaths).
- 3
First convocation 1923; first post-independence convocation 18 December 1999.
- 4
DUCSU founded in 1924; elections in 2019 (11 March) after a long gap, then in 2025.
- 5
The Bose Chair is in Physics (Satyen Bose); the Bangabandhu Chair is in History.