University of Dhaka
ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় | |
Crest of DU | |
Other name |
|
|---|---|
Former name | University of Dacca (1921–1982) |
| Motto | শিক্ষাই আলো |
Motto in English | Education is light (Latin: Educere Est Lux) |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | 1921 |
| Founder | Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury |
| Accreditation |
|
| Budget | ৳1035.45 crore (US$85 million) (2025–26) |
| Chancellor | President of Bangladesh |
| Vice-Chancellor | A.B.M. Obaidul Islam |
Academic staff | 2,156+ |
Administrative staff | 3,887 |
| Students | 44,895 (2023) |
| Undergraduates | 30,000+ |
| Postgraduates | 9,362+ |
| 974+ | |
Other students | 269+ |
| Address | , , , Bangladesh 23°43′59″N 90°23′28″E / 23.73306°N 90.39111°E |
| Campus | Urban, 275.083 acres (111.322 ha) |
| Colors | Navy Blue and Red |
| Website | www |
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global – Overall | |
| QS World | =584 (2026) |
| THE World | 801-1000 (2026) |
| USNWR Global | 604 (2025) |
| Global – Business and economics | |
| THE Business and Economics | 501–600 (2026) |
| Global – Education | |
| THE Education | 301–400 (2026) |
| Global – Liberal arts | |
| THE Social Sciences | 601–800 (2026) |
| Global – Life sciences and medicine | |
| THE Clinical and Health | 301–400 (2026) |
| THE Life Sciences | 601–800 (2026) |
| Global – Science and engineering | |
| THE Computer Science | 601–800 (2026) |
| THE Engineering | 501–600 (2026) |
| THE Physical Sciences | 601–800 (2026) |
| Regional – Overall | |
| QS Asia | 132 (2026) |
| THE Asia | 401–500 (2025) |
The University of Dhaka (Bengali: ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country.
The University of Dhaka was founded in 1921 under the Dacca University Act 1920 of the Indian Legislative Council. The establishment of the university in Dhaka began with 600 acres of land requisitioned by the British government in 1905 following the formation of the new province of East Bengal and Assam with Dhaka as its capital. Part of the land requisitioned belonged to the estate of Nawab Bahadur Sir Khwaja Salimullah. It is modeled after British universities. It is the largest public research university in Bangladesh, with a student body of 46,150 and a faculty of 1,992.
It has made significant contributions to the modern history of Bangladesh. After the Partition of India, it became the focal point of progressive and democratic movements in Pakistan. Its students and teachers played a central role in the rise of Bengali nationalism and the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.
Notable alumni include physicist Satyendra Nath Bose, known for Bose–Einstein statistics and the theory of Bose–Einstein condensate; Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize and pioneer of microcredit; Muhammad Shahidullah; Natyaguru Nurul Momen, pioneer of cultural, sports and theatrical activities of the university (he was both a student and later a teacher at the university); Serajul Islam Choudhury; physicist Mohammad Ataul Karim; 20th-century Bengali poet Buddhadeb Bose; and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founding president.
It is one of the highest-ranked university in Bangladesh according to QS World University Ranking.