Message from Chairman
Department of Economics is one of the oldest and founding departments of Rajshahi University. It started its academic programme under the name “Department of Economics and Commerce” during the session 1954-55 with Dr. Md. Tozammel Hoque as the head of the department. Initially, the Department started its academic activities in Rajshahi College where the University of Rajshahi began its journey. In 1961, the Department shifted from Rajshahi College to First Science Building in Rajshahi University Campus. In 1965, it shifted to Momtaz Uddin Kala Bhaban, where it is still functioning.
The Department started with a two year honours program, which was converted into a three year honours program later. Since 1998, the Department introduced a four year honours program along with one-year Master’s program. The M. Phil and Ph.D. programs are also run by the Department. The department is also pursuing evening courses for the professionals. Both one year and two-year evening masters’ programmes have enriched the academic attainments of the department.
At present, the Department has 600 regular students and a provision of 37 teaching staff. Currently the department is running with 20 teaching members, among them six are in study leave abroad for higher degrees. The Department is maintaining a good range of extracurricular activities comprising sports and other cultural and literary activities.
During this long period of time, the department has produced a huge number of honors and masters’ graduates and also quit a good number of M.Phil. and Ph.Ds. From the very beginning, the department was endowed with highly renowned and meritorious economists in its teaching staff. Later on, the department itself has produced scores of highly qualified economists who have proved their worth and earned fame and reputation in the academic field both at the national and international level. The department has also been enriched with some qualified academics in its teaching staffs from other universities at various times.
Now the department is enriched with highly qualified teaching staff having higher specialized degrees (masters and PhDs) from leading international universities in Europe, North America, Australia and also from some Asian countries. Teaching is their key responsibility but, in addition, they are engaged in wide range of research activities of national interest. They are also providing support to other universities and national institutions through their expert services.
This is to note that most of the graduates from this department have been gainfully employed in various spheres of national economic activities. Many have climbed to the higher rungs of civil administration and administration of justice. Some ex-teachers of the department were involved in the formulation of Five Year Plans and national economic policy making. Some have been leading the national economic research institution. Some ex-students and ex-teachers of the department served in highly prestigious international economic organizations like the World Bank, UNDB, ADB, IRDP etc. as economist or advisor. Some thought provoking and serious books on economics and society written by some alumni and ex teachers of the department have been published from the world famous and prestigious national publishing houses. Some ex teachers and the alumni of the department are Avant grade intellectuals of the country. Quite a few have been teaching in the prestigious universities in developed countries and many others have been gainfully employed in important positions there. A good number of its graduates have been successful in politics and have become ministers and law maker.
The members of the department as a team has been trying to engage themselves in a most productive way to promote the students by utilizing their talents and inner potentials. Intellectual capacity, experience, diversity and international integration by sharing knowledge and expertise are the key strengths of this department.
Prof. A.N.K.Noman
Chairman
Department of Economics