On the first day of July 1921, the University of Dhaka opened its doors to students with Sir P.J. Hartog as the first Vice-Chancellor of the University. The University was set up in a picturesque part of the city known as Ramna on 600 acres of land.

The University of Dhaka started its activities with 3 faculties, 12 departments, 60 teachers, 877 students and 3 dormitories for the students. At present, the University consists of 13 faculties, 83 departments, 13 institutes, 20 residential halls, 3 hostels and more than 56 research centres. The number of students and teachers has risen to about 37,018 and 1,992 respectively.

The main purpose of the University was to create new areas of knowledge and disseminate such knowledge nationally as well as globally. Since its inception, the University of Dhaka has a distinct character of having distinguished scholars as faculties who have enriched the global pool of knowledge by making notable contributions in the fields of teaching and research.

Moreover, the University of Dhaka was at the forefront not only in the movement against the British colonial rule but also for the independence of Bangladesh during the semi-colonial rule under Pakistan. This contributed to a critical political achievement, indeed, related to the historic Language Movement of 1952, when students of the University laid down their lives for making Bangla as one of the national languages of the state of Pakistan. The event is now nationally observed on 21 February and the University of Dhaka is the official host of the event. It is worth pointing out here that UNESCO has declared February 21st as the International Mother Language Day. The University of Dhaka takes pride in hosting the event and having the day internationally recognised.

The University of Dhaka, however, ended up as the epicentre of 1971 genocide, mainly because its students and faculty members were active in the demand for democracy, autonomy, and justice during the semi-colonial rule under Pakistan. Indeed, the sprawling campus of the university is witness to the heinous crimes committed by the Pakistani Army on 25 March 1971. Armed with heavy weapons such as tanks, automatic rifles, rocket launchers, heavy mortars and light machine guns, the Pakistan military encircled the University of Dhaka from the east, south and north. The troops killed over 200 students, 10 teachers, and 12 employees of the university. Few universities in the world can be found to have sacrificed so much for the country and its people.

Faculties: 13

1. Faculty of Arts (Email: deanarts@du.ac.bd)

2. Faculty of Sciences (Email: deansc@du.ac.bd)

3. Faculty of Law (Email: deanlaw@du.ac.bd)

4. Faculty of Business Studies (Email: deanbs@du.ac.bd)

5. Faculty of Social Sciences (Email: dean.fss@du.ac.bd)

6. Faculty of Biological Sciences (Email: deanbio@univdhaka.edu)

7. Faculty of Pharmacy (Email: dean.pharmacy@du.ac.bd)

8. Faculty of Earth & Environmental Sciences (Email: feescdu@gmail.com)

9. Faculty of Engineering & Technology (Email: deanengg@du.ac.bd)

10. Faculty of Fine Arts (Email: deanfineart@du.ac.bd)

11. Faculty of Medicine (Email: deanmedicine@du.ac.bd)

12. Faculty of Education: (Email: principal.ttc@gmail.com)

13. Faculty of Postgraduate Medical Sciences & Research: (Email: dean.fmdu@yahoo.com)

Institutes: 13

1. Institute of Education and Research (Email: director.ier@du.ac.bd)

2. Institute of Statistical Research and Training (Email: isrt@isrt.ac.bd

3. Institute of Business Administration (Email: director@iba-du.edu, secretary@iba-du.edu)

4. Institute of Nutrition and Food Science (Email: directorinfs@du.ac.bd)

5. Institute of Social Welfare and Research (Email: info@iswr.du.ac.bd)

6. Institute of Modern Languages (Email: iml@du.ac.bd)

7. Institute of Health Economics (Email: director@ihe.ac.bd)

8. Institute of Information Technology (Email: iit@du.ac.bd)

9. Institute of Energy (Email: ire@du.ac.bd)

10. Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies (Email: idmvs@du.ac.bd)

11. Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology (Email: sdin@du.ac.bd)

12. Confucius Institute (Email: cndirector.ci@du.ac.bd)

13. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Research Institute for Peace and Liberty (Email: registrar@du.ac.bd)

Departments: 84

Accommodation:

For Male: 13 Residential Halls, including Sir P.J Hartog International Hall; BDT 30,000 yearly.

For Female: Six Halls are available.

Food courts, cafeteria, and canteens are available in the Campus.

Medical Service:

University provides primary diagnosis and doctor's treatment with medicine from the University Medical Centre located in the campus.

Gymnasium:

For physical exercises like yoga, swimming, outdoor and indoor games with instruments located at the University Physical Centre.

Cultural Activities:

For cultural and group activities students get information from the Teacher Students Centre (TSC). This establishment is home to many clubs and societies like chess club, debate club, tourists society, poem recitation, and drama rehearsal society.

Mental Health Care and Counseling Centre:

Service provided by eminent psychologists and clinical psychologists of the University of Dhaka.