JnU celebrates 15th founding anniversary

Teachers and students of Jagannath University have been observing the day as 'University Day' Today.Prothom Alo

Today is the 15th founding anniversary of Jagannath University.

Jagannath College, one of the country's oldest educational institutions, was recognized as a university on 20 October 2005.

Since then teachers and students of this institution have been observing the day as 'University Day'.

Due to the coronavirus, the university authorities have decided to celebrate the day in a limited scale this time in compliance with the government health rules.

In the morning, the national flag was hoisted and the national anthem was performed.

The University Day was inaugurated by releasing balloons from the Shaheed Minar premises. Later, the newly-constructed Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall was inaugurated for the students of the university.

After that, a virtual cultural programme will be organised.

Apart from this, various student organisations on the campus including 'Jagannath University Bondhushava' will celebrate the day with various arrangements.

According to sources, the university is running semester system for students in 36 departments and two institutes under six faculties. At present there are about 13 thousand students and about 600 teachers.

Teachers and students said that academic development of the university, provision of scholarships and incentives to students, acceptance of various research projects, admission of researchers in MPhil and PhD, research books and journals of regular teachers are being published in the respective department.

Moreover, various initiatives have been taken to increase the services of the university library, success in sports and cultural arena, participation in Amar Ekushey Book Fair, various infrastructural development and transport services.

University vice-chancellor Mizanur Rahman told Prothom Alo that efforts are being made to raise the standard of education at Jagannath University to the international level in a short period of time.

The main reason for our success is talented students and teachers. Meritorious and creative students are being admitted to Jagannath University due to written test. And only meritorious teachers are being recruited. As a result, students are holding their position in all fields including education, research and culture.

The vice-chancellor said there is no shortage of teachers in any department of the university at present. Session jam has been reduced. We are working to solve other problems.

Unique educational institution in history

This educational institution started its journey in 1868 as 'Jagannath School'. The late Jagannath Roy Chowdhury was its founder. Inspired by its fame, Kishori Lal Roy Chowdhury, son of Jagannath Roy Chowdhury, promoted it to a college in 1884.

Then its name was changed to Dhaka Jagannath College. Later in 1887 the school and college branches were separated under the direction of the education department. With the establishment of Dhaka University, the college stopped admitting students at the undergraduate level. At that time it was called Jagannath Intermediate College. Twenty-eight years later, in 1949, the college resumed its undergraduate education. Jagannath College was made government in 1986. From the academic year 1975, the educational activities of Government Jagannath College were brought under the National University instead of Dhaka University.

A former student of the economics department of the university Sirajul Islam said that the tradition of the educational institution can be found in the pages of history. Its students have taken an active part in the language movement, the liberation war, all the struggles, as well as in the acquisition of knowledge and practice. Thus, the country will get the best world class university.

Non-resident public university badge will no longer exist

The first newly-built residential student hall of Jagannath University 'Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall' is inaugurated on University Day, today.

According to university sources, the project started on 31 January 2011. The construction work of the 16-storey building has been completed in 10 years by extending the time in five phases.

The building has 158 rooms, a library, a canteen and a dining room. In addition, there are seven toilets on each floor and four lifts. Each room has an accommodation of four students. There are separate beds and tables and chairs for each student. After the reopening of the campus, the authorities will start the process of picking up the students.

Meanwhile, the university teachers and students demanded that the residential crisis be resolved.

Former general secretary of the Jagannath University Teachers' Association and chairman of the psychology department professor Nur Mohammad said the hall has been built with the sincere efforts of all members of the university family.

He said the badge of non-resident public university will no longer exist. Now the female students will be much safer and stress free.

New campus being established in Keraniganj

On 9 October 2016, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a project for land acquisition and development at the new campus of Jagannath University at Tegharia in Keraniganj. The project worth Tk 1,920.94 crore is expected to start implementation on about 200 acres of land this month.

According to university sources, the new campus will have multiple academic buildings, residential halls, administrative buildings and all necessary infrastructures. There will be accommodation for teachers, officers and employees, medical centre. Cafeteria, playground, mosque, swimming pool, lake, park and all kinds of world class university facilities will be added to it.

Project director Selim Khan told Prothom Alo that the land has been secured from the district administration after all the processes. Consultant will be appointed with the permission of the concerned ministry. All the infrastructure development will be completed within the next seven years.