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Bangladesh Agricultural University

Coordinates: 24°43′26″N 90°26′15″E / 24.7240°N 90.4374°E / 24.7240; 90.4374
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Bangladesh Agricultural University
বাংলাদেশ কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
Logo of Bangladesh Agricultural University
Other name
BAU
Former name
East Pakistan Agricultural University
Motto
জ্ঞান, দক্ষতা, চরিত্র
Motto in English
Knowledge, Efficiency, Moral Character
TypePublic agricultural university
Established18 August 1961; 63 years ago (1961-08-18)
AccreditationUniversity Grants Commission
ChancellorPresident Mohammed Shahabuddin
Vice-ChancellorA K Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan
Academic staff
567
Students8088
Undergraduates5147
Postgraduates2941
Location
Mymensingh
,
Mymensingh District
,
2202
,
Bangladesh

24°43′26″N 90°26′15″E / 24.7240°N 90.4374°E / 24.7240; 90.4374
CampusUrban, 1,200 acres (4.9 km2)
LanguageEnglish
Websitebau.edu.bd
[1]

Bangladesh Agricultural University (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, romanized: Bangladesh Krishi Bishshobiddalôe, abbreviated as BAU), was established in 1961. It is the first agricultural university and the second-largest public university in Bangladesh.[1] The university is located in Mymensingh and comprises 44 departments.[1]

History

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The Pakistani government set up the Commission on National Education at the end of 1958 to propose how to reorganize the country's education system.[2] One recommendation in the commission's 1959 report was to set up an agricultural university in East Pakistan. There was already the East Pakistan College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in Mymensingh. The government chose to upgrade the college to East Pakistan Agricultural University.[3] On 18 August 1961, the government did so by promulgating the East Pakistan Agricultural University Ordinance, 1961.[4] Soil scientist M Osman Ghani was appointed the university's first vice-chancellor on 2 September 1961.[5]

The university started with 30 teachers and 444 students. There were 23 departments under 2 faculties, the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Veterinary Science.[6] The Faculty of Animal Husbandry was added in 1962.[7]

In February 1963, Ghani left to become vice-chancellor of the University of Dacca.[8] S.D. Chaudhuri took over from him at the agricultural university.[9] The Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology was added in 1963. It was followed by the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology in 1964.[6] A sixth faculty was started in 1967, the Faculty of Fisheries.[10]

BAU Agricultural Museum was established in 2007 and it was the country's first agricultural museum.[11]

Campus

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BAU's 1,200-acre (490 ha) campus is in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast of the city center. It is bounded on the east by the Old Brahmaputra River.[12] The master campus plan and key buildings were designed by modernist architect Paul Rudolph.[13]

View looking southwest, with main academic buildings in the right foreground, of a model of the campus master plan by architect Paul Rudolph circa 1966

A palm-lined east-west avenue divides the main academic and administrative buildings to its north from mostly residential and recreational facilities to its south. At its east end is BAU's Shaheed Minar, memorializing those killed during the 1952 Bengali language movement.[6] Nearby is a 2000 sculpture by Shaymol Chowdhury of three standing figures called Bijoy '71. It pays tribute to the sacrifices made during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[14]

Auditorium with the Bijoy '71 sculpture on the left

Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Auditorium has a capacity of nearly 2,000. It is used for cultural programmes.[6] The Teacher Students Centre (TSC) is intended to be a focal point of student life and extra-curricular activities.[15] It has dining facilities, newspaper reading rooms, and other common areas. It contains the offices of such student organisations as the debating, drama, and music societies.[15][16]

The Botanical Garden is set on 25 acres (10 ha) on the bank of the Old Brahmaputra River. As of 2025, it contains 1,500 species, representing about 300 genera and 200 families.[17] The garden is divided into 30 zones by plant type, and includes rock gardens, water gardens, and an orchid house.[16] The Department of Crop Botany manages the garden.[17] The university operates the Agriculture Museum. Opened in 2007, it is the first of its kind in the country and has a collection of approximately 500 agricultural implements.[11][18] The Fish Museum & Biodiversity Centre was founded in 2009 by Stirling University in a building donated by BAU.[19] It has a collection of riverine species from Bangladesh.[20] BAU also operates ten major farms, including dairy and poultry ones.[1][12]

In addition to the university's institutes and centres, the campus is home to two national research institutes: Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI).[6]

Libraries

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Library Building of BAU

The library was originally located in one room of the administration building. It contained just 5,000 volumes taken over from the East Pakistan College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry. Since 1969, the central library has been housed in a purpose-built modernist building designed by architect Richard J. Neutra. Originally two-storied, in 2001 it underwent an expansion that added a third story, bringing its size to 66,000 square feet (6,100 m2).[21] As of 2025, the library holds 185,000 volumes and 2,000 periodicals, as well as dissertations, microforms, and audiovisual items. The Faculty of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology has its own library.[22]

Halls of residence (student dormitories)

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As of 2024, BAU has fourteen gender-segregated halls of residence. Nine are for men: Ashraful Haque Hall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hall, Fazlul Haque Hall, Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy Hall, Isha Khan Hall, Shaheed Nazmul Ahsan Hall, Shaheed Shamsul Haque Hall, Shaheed Jamal Hossain Hall, and Shahjalal Hall.[23] Three of these are named after fighters for independence who were killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War and are termed shaheed (martyrs).[14]

Five halls are for women: Begum Rokeya Hall, July 36 Hall, Krishi Kanya Hall, Sultana Razia Hall, and Taposhi Rabeya Hall.[23] The two newest were previously named in honour of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina[24] and her late sister-in-law, Rosy Jamal. The latter was renamed Krishi Kanya Hall in January 2025.[25] As of 2025, the former is shown on BAU's website as July 36 Hall,[23] a reference to 5 August 2024, the day the Student–People's uprising forced Sheikh Hasina to resign.

There is also a dormitory for PhD students.[23]

Administration

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The university is governed by the statutes put in place by the East Pakistan Agricultural University Ordinance, 1961, and subsequently amended by the governments of East Pakistan and Bangladesh. The President of Bangladesh or their designate is the chancellor of the university, and appoints the vice chancellor.[26] The vice-chancellor is the chief executive officer of the university.[6] In September 2024, A K Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan became the vice-chancellor.[27]

Vice-Chancellors
Vice-Chancellor Term Position Number Reference
M Osman Ghani 2 September 1961 – 1963 1st [4][28]
S.D. Chaudhuri 1963–1969 2nd [9]
Kamaluddin Ahmad 1969–1971 [29][30]
Ashraful Haque [31]
Quazi Mohammad Fazlur Rahim January 1971 – July 1971, January 1972 – November 1973 [32]
Muhammad Amirul Islam (died 2001) 1971–1972 [33]
Mosleh Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury 24 November 1973 – October 1980 6th [34]
AKM Aminul Haque 1980–1988 [35]
Shah Mohammad Farouk 23 August 1993 - 13 November 1996 [36]
Mohammad Hossain 14 November 1996 – 5 February 2000
M Mustafizur Rahman 2001 [37]
Muhammed Amirul Islam 2004 [38]
M Musharraf Hossain Mian 2006 18th [39]
Md. Akhtar Hossain 2008 [40]
MA Sattar Mandal 15 November 2008 – [41][5]
Rafiqul Haque 11 August 2011 – 8 April 2015 22nd [42][43]
Md. Ali Akbar 24 May 2015 – [44]
Lutful Hassan 30 May 2019 – 24th [45]
Emdadul Haque Chowdhury – 11 August 2024 [46]
A K Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan 19 September 2024 – present 26th [27]

Finances

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The University Grants Commission (UGC) funds more than 90% of the university's recurring budget and all of its capital projects.[4]

Academics

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BAU's academic year runs from July to June. It operates on a semester system. It offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university is accredited by the UGC.[47]

Faculties and departments

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The university has 45 departments organised into six faculties: agriculture, agricultural economics and rural sociology, agricultural engineering and technology, animal husbandry, fisheries, and veterinary science. It also has four institutes.[1]

Faculty of Agriculture

[edit]

The Faculty of Agriculture is one of the two original faculties of the university.[6] It consists of 17 departments:[48]

Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology

[edit]

The Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology was added in 1963.[6] It consists of five departments:[49]

Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology

[edit]

The Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology was added in 1964.[6] It consists of five departments:[50]

  • Department of Computer Science and Mathematics
  • Department of Farm Power and Machinery
  • Department of Farm Structure and Environmental Engineering
  • Department of Food Technology and Rural Industries
  • Department of Irrigation and Water Management

Faculty of Animal Husbandry

[edit]
Courtyard of Faculty of Animal Husbandry

The Faculty of Animal Husbandry was added in 1962. It consists of five departments:[7]

Faculty of Fisheries

[edit]

The Faculty of Fisheries, started in 1967, is the newest faculty of the university. It consists of five departments:[10]

  • Department of Aquaculture
  • Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics
  • Department of Fisheries Management
  • Department of Fisheries Technology
  • Department of Marine Fisheries Science

Faculty of Veterinary Science

[edit]

The Faculty of Veterinary Science is one of the two original faculties of the university.[6] It consists of eight departments:[51]

Institutes

[edit]

The university runs four institutes: Graduate Training Institute (GTI), Institute of Agribusiness and Developmental Studies (IADS); Interdisciplinary Institute for Food Security (IIFS); and Char and Haor Development institute.[1]

Reputation and rankings

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The 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking placed BAU 5th among 5 in Bangladesh and tied for 1775th in the world.[52][53] The July 2024 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities placed BAU 9th out of 170 in Bangladesh and 2323rd in the world.[54] BAU was ranked 1001–1200 globally in the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.[55][56]

Admissions and costs

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Admission requires a Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or foreign equivalent and an entrance exam.[47]

Dhaka University, one of the cluster exam centers in 2024

Starting in 2019, all public agricultural universities adopted a cluster system for undergraduate admissions.[57] Under the system, an annual integrated entry exam takes place simultaneously at multiple locations around the country. In October 2024, 51,836 candidates sat the exam for 3,718 available seats. Of those, 1,116 seats were at BAU, with the remainder spread among the other public universities offering agricultural degrees.[58][59] After the exam, BAU's academic council decided to pull the university out of the cluster admissions system.[57] At the request of the Ministry of Education, the university agreed to continue with the cluster system for the 2024-2025 academic year to avoid confusion and disruption.[60]

BAU charges admission and residential hall fees, plus variable fees for each semester.[61] There are different fees at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and different ones for international students.

Publications

[edit]

The Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University is published on behalf of the Bangladesh Agricultural University Research System. It is a peer-reviewed, open access journal, published quarterly. It accepts original research articles and review articles on all fields of agricultural science.[62] The first volume was published in 2003.[63]

Postage stamp of Pakistan issued on the occasion of the first convocation of the university

Noted people

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Faculty

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Alumni

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "BAU at a Glance". Bangladesh. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Report of the Commission on National Education". BPATC Institutional Repository. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  3. ^ Basak, Jayanti Rani (October 2016). The Role of University Libraries in Human Resources Development of Bangladesh: A Study (PDF) (PhD thesis). University of Dhaka. p. 45. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) | AGRIS". Food and Agriculture Organisation. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh Agricultural University". The Daily Star. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Bangladesh Agricultural University". Banglapedia. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Faculty of Animal Husbandry". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  8. ^ "List of Vice Chancellors". University of Dhaka. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Fellow: Dr. S D Chaudhuri (Deceased)". Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Faculty of Fisheries". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  11. ^ a b Hasan, Jahid (21 July 2018). "BAU Agricultural Museum". Daily Sun.
  12. ^ a b "BAU: Centre of excellence". The Daily Star. 19 November 2006.
  13. ^ "Tropical Trysts: An American Architect in the Bengal Delta". kaziashraf.com.
  14. ^ a b Sifat, Md Musfiqur Rahman (14 December 2017). "BAU in Liberation War". The Daily Observer.
  15. ^ a b "Function of TSC". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  16. ^ a b Asha, Khatun-A-Jannat (26 June 2021). "BAU campus: Daughter of nature". Risingbd.com.
  17. ^ a b "Botanical Garden". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  18. ^ Meraz, Abul Bashar (3 June 2018). "BAU agricultural museum: A true treasure trove". Kaler Kantho.
  19. ^ "Stirling University sets up Bangladesh fish museum". BBC News. 20 January 2011.
  20. ^ "Resources". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  21. ^ Rahman, Md. Zillur (October 2013). A Plan for Modernization of University Libraries in Bangladesh (PhD thesis). University of Dhaka. pp. 80–81. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  22. ^ "Library". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  23. ^ a b c d "Student Hostels". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  24. ^ ৬২ বছরে পা রাখলো বাংলাদেশ কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় [Bangladesh Agricultural University marks 62nd anniversary]. Jago News 24 (in Bengali). 18 August 2022.
  25. ^ বাকৃবির কৃষি কন্যা হলের স্নাতক প্রথম বর্ষের শিক্ষার্থীদের নবীনবরণ [Freshman year of BAU's Krishi Kanya Hall undergraduate students]. The Financial Express. Dhaka. 6 January 2025.
  26. ^ "The Agricultural University Ordinance, 1961 (East Pakistan Ordinance)". Laws of Bangladesh. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Prof AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan appointed BAU VC". The Business Standard. 19 September 2024.
  28. ^ Islam, Sirajul (2012). "Ghani, M Osman". In Islam, Sirajul; Islam, Aminul (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  29. ^ "Fellow: Prof. Kamaluddin Ahmad (Deceased)". Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  30. ^ "Ahmad, Kamaluddin". Banglapedia. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  31. ^ "Prof. Dr. Ashraful Haque (Deceased)". Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  32. ^ "Rahim, Quazi Mohammad Fazlur". Banglapedia. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  33. ^ "Dr. Muhammad Amirul Islam (Deceased)". Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  34. ^ "Chowdhury, Mosleh Uddin Ahmed". Banglapedia. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  35. ^ "Professor A.K.M. Aminul Haque". bas.org.bd. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  36. ^ বাকৃবির সাবেক উপাচার্য ড. শাহ মোহাম্মদ ফারুক মারা গেছেন [Former Vice Chancellor of BAU Dr. Shah Mohammad Farouk passes away]. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 2 February 2021.
  37. ^ "New Vice Chancellor takes-over of Bangladesh Agriculture University" (PDF). The Bangladesh Observer. 27 November 2001.
  38. ^ "BAU post-flood rehabilitation". The Daily Star. 19 October 2004.
  39. ^ "A conversation with Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)". The Daily Star. 19 September 2006.
  40. ^ "BAU Ph.D. Students' Association Seminar held". The Daily Star. 12 October 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  41. ^ "Prof Mandal made BAU VC". The Daily Star. 15 November 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  42. ^ "Prof Haque appointed VC of BAU". Asian Institute of Technology. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
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  46. ^ "Mass resignations at BAU, inc VC". United News of Bangladesh. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  47. ^ a b International Association of Universities (2019). "Bangladesh". International Handbook of Universities 2019. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 252. doi:10.1057/978-3-319-76971-4_14. ISBN 978-3-319-76970-7.
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  56. ^ "No Bangladeshi university in top 800 of THE world rankings again". Dhaka Tribune. 9 October 2024.
  57. ^ a b "Decision on cluster-based univ admission test delayed". New Age. 28 November 2024.
  58. ^ "Over 69% candidates participate in Agriculture Cluster Admission Test". UNB. 25 October 2024.
  59. ^ "First year admission process begins in agricultural universities". UNB. 9 December 2024.
  60. ^ "Public universities directed to hold cluster-based admission test". New Age. 3 December 2024.
  61. ^ "Fees". Bangladesh Agricultural University.
  62. ^ "Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University". Bangladesh Agricultural University. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  63. ^ "Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University". WorldCat. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  64. ^ "Ahmed, Humayun". Banglapedia.
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  67. ^ Islam, Faruk; Bari, Farida Yeasmin; Alam, Golam Shahi (2015). "Reproductive Performances and Management Effects on Productions of Indigenous Dairy Cows Raised at Char Areas in Northern Bangladesh" (PDF). GSTF Journal of Veterinary Science. 1. doi:10.7603/s40871-015-0007-x. S2CID 55345088.
  68. ^ নিজেকে উপযোগী করে গড়ে তুলতে হবে [You have to make yourself suitable]. Jugantor (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  69. ^ "Dr. Goutam Buddha Das". Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.
  70. ^ "Curriculum Vitae of Professor Dr. M. Afzal Hossain" (PDF). Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2010.
  71. ^ "Curriculum Vitae of Md. Tofazzal Islam, PhD" (PDF). Department of Biotechnology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2023.
  72. ^ "Life Sketch of Honorable Minister, Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque" (PDF). UNICEF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2015.
  73. ^ "Tangail-8 MP dies". bdnews24.com. 20 January 2014.
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