The 19th founding anniversary of Jagannath University, an institution deeply rooted in a rich history spanning over 150 years, was observed on Saturday.
While relatively new as a university, its legacy traces back to its origins as Brahma School.Established as a primary school, it has evolved into a full-fledged autonomous university over time. To mark the anniversary, the university planned an array of grand festivities and preparations.
Saturday’s events began at 8:30am with the hoisting of national and university flags, followed by the national anthem. At 9:00am, an orientation session was held for the new students.
At 10:30am, vice-chancellor professor Md Rezaul Karim officially inaugurated University Day by releasing balloons and pigeons.
JnU’s origins date back to 1858, when it was established as Brahma School by the Brahma Samaj in Dhaka. In 1878, Zamindar Kishorilal Chowdhury took over the management and renamed it Jagannath School in honour of his father. By 1884, it was upgraded to a second-class college, and in 1902, it became a first-class institution. After the establishment of Dhaka University in 1921, Jagannath College, however, faced a student shortage, forcing it to downgrade it to a higher secondary institution. In 1948, it reintroduced undergraduate programmes.
The college was nationalised in 1968, briefly returned to private status in 1969, and finally transformed into Jagannath University by an Act of the parliament on October 20, 2005, with its first VC, professor AKM Sirajul Islam Khan.
Currently, JnU boasts seven faculties, 38 departments, and two institutes, with around 750 faculty members, 18,000 students, and 700 administrative staff. The university also has one women’s hall of residence, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, providing residential facilities to 1,600 female students.
Despite significant challenges such as a lack of residence halls, limited campus space, insufficient infrastructure, and a modest budget, JnU made remarkable progress over the past 19 years.
The university has appointed its first VC from among its own faculty, and its students are increasingly securing positions in both government and private sectors. Numerous students have also pursued higher education at leading international universities, while several faculty members have served as vice-chancellors and administrators at various public and private institutions in Bangladesh.
VC Md Rezaul Karim said, ‘Despite numerous challenges, JnU students have excelled in various fields. We remain committed to elevating Jagannath University to a global standard university in education and research.’