Dr. Nasima Khatun
Professor & Chairperson
The Department of Political Science was established as integral part of the Department of Economics and Politics in 1921 since inception of the University of Dhaka. It became an independent Department in 1938. At present it is one of the largest departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Dhaka. Every academic year some 200 students are enrolled in its Undergraduate Program. The Department also offers MSS, M Phil and PhD programs. Every year a fairly good number of students apply for M Phil and PhD programs intending to specialize in various fields of Political Science. Moreover, the department has started another specialized academic stream of post graduation program under its domain as Master in Governance Studies (MGS).
As part of academic programs, the department organizes lectures, discussions and special seminars. The training offered by the department often reflects recent research on ongoing subject matters. There are now 23 teachers working in the Department. The department continues to maintain a congenial academic atmosphere for encouraging teaching commitment and research activity.
The Department of Political Science has made enormous contributions in the history of Bangladesh. Its students and faculties wholeheartedly participated in critical events in the democratic struggle from Language Movement to Six Points Movement to the Mass Uprising to Liberation War of 1971.
Struggle for Independence and Liberation War
The students of the Department of Political Science have actively participated in the creation of Bangladesh through the twenty-four year-long struggle for independence and heroic liberation war. One of the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement Abul Barkat was a student of this department. Abdur Razzaq and Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, two other students of this Department, were organizers of movements against the military rule and the education commission in 1962, and 11-point student movement in 1969. Many students of this Department have actively participated in the liberation war. Two young students of this Department, Syed Nazmul Haq and Nizamuddin Azad sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War.
Achievements at State and Government Levels
Many students of this Department have a glorious presence at various levels of the state and government. A good number of former students have acquired constitutional posts such as Vice-president, Prime Minister, Minister, Advisors of the Caretaker Government, MP, Chief Justice, Attorney General and Chairman of Public Service Commission. A large number of former students have also served in important posts such as secretary, ambassador and Inspector General of Police.
Education
The state has appointed three eminent teachers of this department as National Professors. They are Professor Abdur Razzaq, Professor Talukder Maniruzzaman and Professor Sardar Fazlul Karim. Many former teachers and students of this department have taught in different universities abroad. Among them are Professor Zillur Rahman Khan (University of Wisconsin, USA) and Professor Raunaq Jahan (Columbia University, USA). Professor Tasneem Siddiqui, a serving teacher of this Department, has led three important policy processes of three governments of Bangladesh. These are National Strategy of International Labour Migration in 2001, Overseas Employment Policy, 2006 and the National Strategy on Climate Change and Disaster Induced Internal Displacement in Bangladesh 2020.
Literature and Sports
Many former students have made commendable contributions in different sectors including literature and sports. Such three respected names in the world of literature are Burhanuddin Khan Jahangir, Ahmed Sofa and Shahidul Zahir.
The former captain of National Cricket Team Raqibul Hasan and former member of National Football Team Shafiqul Islam Manik were proud students of the department.