Wikipedia / University of Chittagong
Wikipedia / University of Chittagong
The University of Chittagong () also known as Chittagong University (CU), is a public research university located in Chittagong, Bangladesh. It was established on 18 November 1966. It is the fifth oldest university of Bangladesh. Having an area of campus, CU is the largest university in Bangladesh. It is one of the five autonomous universities of Bangladesh.
Facilities
Library
Chittagong University's collection of about 350,000 books, and over 40,000 bound journals is housed in a library built in 1990.
Chittagong University Museum
Chittagong University Museum was established in 1973 with artifacts from the History Department, including fossils found amongst the Nasirabad hills. It has subsequently accumulated an extensive collection of historical artifacts and paintings. In 2016, The Daily Star donated a Chittagong history archive to the museum.
University shuttle train
The university shuttle train is operated by Bangladesh Railway eastern division and monitored by university authority. Trains leave Chattogram railway station and Sholoshohor railway station, and city-bound trains leave Chattogram University railway station.
Shuttle graffiti
Chittagong University shuttle trains have a long history of graffiti art. There were allegations it was being used by rival political groups to assert influence over train compartments. Following clashes in April 2011 between five compartment-based groups that left at least eight students injured, the university expelled 11 students and banned all forms of compartment-based organizational activities, including the posting of posters, leaflets, and graffiti on the trains. Eleven years after that incident, German artist Lukas Zeilinger, accompanied by Livia, his wife, and Arup Barua, a teacher at the Department of Dramatics of the university, painted the carriages once again. The project was self-funded by the Zeiligers as part of their art project.
Chittagong University Central Students' Union
Chittagong University Central Students' Union is the official students' union of the University of Chittagong. It is commonly known as CUCSU. Its aim is to represent Chittagong University students in the university's decision-making, and to give a voice to the students in the national higher education policy debate, and to provide direct services to the student body. It was established in 1966. Its current constitution was adopted in 2025.
Student organizations
The Chittagong University Chess Club is the official student-run organization recognized by the university to promote chess culture, training, and competitive play on campus. The club regularly organizes inter-departmental tournaments and hosts active online arenas. Externally, the club has organized two FIDE-rated national-level tournaments drawing players from across Bangladesh. In competitive sports, the university's chess team secured the 2nd runner-up position at the Inter-University Chess Tournament 2026, organized by the Bangladesh Inter-University Sports Association.
The club's leadership includes a National Arbiter and FIDE School Instructor. The current president of the club, Tanjila Tur Noor, is officially recognized as the second female FIDE School Instructor in Bangladesh.
Academic
Faculty
As of 2024, Chittagong University has 54 departments under 9 faculties.
Institutes
Chittagong University currently has 7 institutes
Institute of Education and Research
Fine Arts Institute
Institute of Modern Languages
Community Ophthalmology Institute
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences
Institute of Marine Science
Social Science Research Institute
Research centers
The university currently has 6 research centers.
Jamal Nazrul Islam Mathematics and Physical Science Research Centre
Nazrul Research Centre
Bureau of Business Research
Center for Social Science Research
Chittagong University Center for Business Administration
Center for Asian Studies
Affiliated educational institutions
There are currently some educational institutions under Chittagong University:
College of Engineering
Newcastle University College, Chittagong
Institute
Chittagong Institute of Technology, Chittagong
Chittagong Institute of Fashion and Technology, Chittagong
Other
Home Economics College, Chittagong
Library
Chittagong University Central Library is the largest library in Chittagong and one of the richest libraries in the country. The current collection in this library is around 350,000, which includes rare books, journals, audio-visual material, manuscripts and Braille books for the blind. At the inauguration of the university in November 1966, the library started with only 300 books. The library moved to its current building in November 1990. The three-storied library has separate rooms for students, researchers and teachers. There is also an auditorium in the library building. Photocopying facilities are available in the library. The library also has facilities for daily reading of national and regional newspapers. The library is currently under automation.
Medical Center
Chittagong University Medical Center is located near the law faculty of the university. It works to provide free medical care and pathological examination for university students, faculty and staff. Apart from this, free medical care is also provided to the family members of teachers and staff. This medical center has round-the-clock services every day of the week, where doctors provide medical care on a rotating basis. This center has 11 doctors and 4 ambulances. There are also 6 temporary beds in the medical center premises.
Campus
Residential halls
, there are 14 residential halls at the university, of which 9 are for male and 5 for female students.
Vice chancellors
Pro Vice-chancellors
Notable faculty and alumni members
Faculty
Jamal Nazrul Islam, theoretical physicist and mathematician
Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Prize winner & former Chief Advisor of Bangladesh
Abdul Mannan, chairman, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh
A F M Khalid Hossain, Islamic scholar
Anisuzzaman, Bangladeshi academic of Bengali literature
Murtaja Baseer, painter and artist
Mohammad Shah Alam, chairman (acting) of the Bangladesh Law Commission and founding father of the Faculty of Law, University of Chittagong, and former professor at the Department of Law, University of Rajshahi
Monsur Ul Karim, painter
Syed Abdullah Khalid, sculptor and painter
Abdul Karim, Bangladeshi historian
Farzana Islam, former vice chancellor, Jahangirnagar University (former lecturer, Sociology department)
Alumni
Niaz Ahmed Khan, academic and 30th vice chancellor of the University of Dhaka
Aslam Chowdhury, fellow chartered accountant and politician
Mahmood Hossain, academic and 12th vice chancellor of Khulna University
Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh
Shireen Akhter, academic and former vice chancellor of the University of Chittagong
Mohit Ul Alam, vice chancellor of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
Tahura Ali, politician and member of parliament
Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, academic and vice-chancellor
A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury, politician and former mayor of Chittagong
Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury, former mayor of Chittagong and member of parliament
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, politician and mayor of Chittagong
Annisul Huq, entrepreneur, television show host and first mayor of North Dhaka
Fazle Kabir, bureaucrat, economist and central banker
Kazi Sharif Kaikobad, retired major general in the Bangladesh Army
Hafiz Rashid Khan, postcolonialist poet, author, journalist and Adibaasi researcher
Rashed Rouf, novelist, editor and journalist
Surendra Kumar Sinha, lawyer who served as the 21st Chief Justice of Bangladesh
AFM Solaiman Chowdhury, civil servant and chairman of the National Board of Revenue
Wadud Bhuiyan, politician and former member of parliament
Syed Abdullah Khalid, sculptor and painter
Papri Basu, fighter, teacher, social worker and women's rights activist
Muhammad Masum Aziz, stage, film and television actor
Chitralekha Guho, television, stage and film actress
Shahid Mahmud Jangi, lyricist
Partha Barua, singer and actor
Naquib Khan, singer, music composer, lyricist and director
Mahfuza Khatun, swimmer
Muhammad Abdul Bari, physicist, writer, teacher, and community leader
Ridwanul Hoque, a leading authority on Bangladeshi and South Asian constitutional law.
A F M Khalid Hossain, Islamic scholar and Advisor of the Religious Affairs Ministry
Selina Akhter, academic and lecturer, vice-chancellor of Rangamati Science and Technology University
Gallery
References
External links