The declaration for establishing a Public University in the then Barishal division was made by the Founder of Bangladesh, the Father of the nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1973. Several half-hearted attempts were made by the different political governments after 1980s but it was in 2009 that the establishment of the University got meaningfully underway by the Ministry of Education, and the Honorable President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Md. Zillur Rahman appointed Professor Dr. Md. Harunor Rashid Khan of the Department of Soil, Water and Environment of the University of Dhaka on 18th February 2010 as the Project Director to establish the University of Barishal. The law of the University of Barishal has been amended and passed by the National Assembly of Bangladesh on 16th June 2010. Thanks to further initiatives from University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education, the University was eventually established by the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through foundation stone laying on 22nd February 2011. Then the University of Barishal started functioning from the first day of July 2011 in a temporary campus at college buildings of Barishal Zilla School. Honorable President Md. Zillur Rahman and Professor Dr. Md. Harunor Rashid Khan adorned the chairs of the Founder Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor respectively. In the first academic year (2011-2012) there are four faculties; Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Business Studies that include six departments. In the first academic session (2011-2012), there will be four hundred students, twenty five teachers, fifteen officers and thirty five staffs. The University of Barishal is a public University and will run like a autonomous University as else in Bangladesh. The University administration will now be run mainly by two bodies: Syndicate and Academic Council, each headed by the Vice-Chancellor. As proposed, the university will be built in Karnakati, a place famous for it’s scenic beauty and an unmolested ecosystem. With the kirtonkhola flowing just by on the southern side and soothing gales pervading the lush green pasture, the place reminds one of why Barishal is known to all of us as the land of plenitude. Away from the crowd and commotion of the metropolitan life, blessed with exquisite natural charms and meditative tranquility, the place promises to be an ideal setting for learners to learn their lessons of self-control and pursue distinguished academic career simultaneously. As the road to Bhola passes close by, the location will enjoy greater communicational accessibility from different parts of the country, transforming the region in the process, from its rural backwater status to one of academic and intellectual excellence. Inspired by the love of the people and boosted by the due patronage from the relevant authority, The university is destined to be the pride of the place. A total of 75 crore of taka has been sanctioned in order to build the eighth general public university of the country and the maiden one for the southern region. A sprawling land of 50 acre has already been acquired to this effect. The original plan contains construction of an unique ‘eight’ shaped academic building including residences for the vice-chancellor, registrar, quarters for teachers, staffs, separate dormitories for male and female students, building for central library etc. There is also provision for building prayer houses for different believers. One eye-catching feature of the new campus will be its internal space-management. Besides having state-of-the art facilities in place, the campus will have its open space punctuated by patterned greenery and a beautiful pond at the heart of it. As the construction of the new campus is predicted to be completed by mid-2013, the academic activities of the university will, however, be run on temporary basis in two college buildings of the Barishal Zilla School. On 23rd August, amid much enthusiasm, the admission of students for the session of 2011-12 was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister of Education, Nurul Islam Nahid MP with his rending SMS through state-owned Teletalk company. The ceremony was also attended by the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof. Dr. Md. Harunor Rashid Khan, the secretary of the Ministry of the Education Dr. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Prof. Dr. Harun-ur-Rashid, the members of the syndicate and other eminent personalities. The duration of the on-line registration will last from 23rd August to 22nd October. This year, a total of 400 students, selected through a standard admission test, will study in six departments under three faculties. The University of Barishal pursues an irreproachably honest and transparent policy in recruiting teachers with merit and scholarship being the sole yardstick. Already a number of teachers have been recruited and recruitment of others is in progress. The syllabus of the departments concerned are not only modernized but so designed as to equip a learner with requisite knowledge and expertise to help him cope with complex global scenario. Keeping this in perspective, modern trends in global scholarship will be introduced to the learners in a syllabus that will be approached in a semester system with required credit division. The university is also trying to provide scholarships for students and teachers to make the university ‘a centre of excellence’. The university will form different clubs to accelerate co-curricular activities of the students. The university is determined to help students explore there abilities in various field of knowledge. The university has already formed different committees headed by the teachers to look after both curricular and co-curricular activities.
