# Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur

Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (Bengali: বেগম রোকেয়া বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, রংপুর) (abbreviated as BRUR), formerly Rangpur University, is a public research university in Rangpur, Bangladesh. Founded in 2008, it is the only generally categorized university in Rangpur Division and the second public university in the region. It was named after the feminist writer and social worker Begum Rokeya.

## Campus

The university is between Rangpur Cadet College and Carmichael College in Rangpur. It covers an area of 75 acres (30 ha). The university has constructed four academic buildings and started classes in August 2011 on the main campus. Currently, the university has 22 departments and almost 7,000 students. It contains three student halls (two male and one female). There is a library and a cafeteria on the campus.

## History

Since 1947, a university in this region has been a long-cherished dream. Popular demand for a kind of university that can reach out to a large number of students desiring higher education in this vast region has always been intensely felt but has never been fulfilled. In 2001, the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, laid the foundations of Rangpur University of Science and Technology. However, later on, the establishment was canceled.
It was not until August 2007 when Fakhruddin Ahmed, chief advisor of the Caretaker Government, agreed in principle to establish a full-fledged university in Rangpur. Fakhruddin Ahmad, in a historic cabinet meeting held in Rangpur on 2 February 2008, decided to establish a university in Rangpur. The Rangpur University Ordinance was approved by the cabinet on 15 June 2008. M. Lutfar Rahman was appointed the first vice-chancellor on 20 October 2008. Two days later Hossain Zillur Rahman, the then education and commerce advisor to the Caretaker Government formally inaugurated the university. The permanent campus of Begum Rokeya University was established on land acquired from Carmichael College.

## Administration

* Vice-Chancellor (VC): Md. Showkat Ali
* Pro Vice-Chancellor: Sarifa Salowa Dina
* Treasurer: Mojib Uddin Ahmed

### Administrative officers

* Registrar: Engr. Md. Alamgir Chowdhury
* Assistant Registrar: Md. Khairul Islam
* Proctor: Md. Ferdous Rahman
* Provosts:
** Komolesh Chandra Sarkar, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall
** Shafiqur Rahman, Sohid Mukhtar Elahi Hall

## Academics
### Undergraduate programs

* BSc (Engineering)
* BSc (Hons.)
* B.A. (Hons.)
* B.B.A. (Hons.)
* B.S.S. (Hons.)

### Graduate programs

* MSc (Engineering)
* MSc
* M.A.
* M.B.A.
* M.S.S.

### Post Graduate programs

* MPhil (MPhil leading to PhD)
* PhD

### Other programs

* M.B.A. (Evening)

### Faculties and departments

BRUR has 22 departments under six faculties.
| Faculty | Department |
| Faculty of Arts | Bangla |
| Faculty of Arts | English |
| Faculty of Arts | History and Archaeology |
| Faculty of Social Science | Economics |
| Faculty of Social Science | Sociology |
| Faculty of Social Science | Political Science |
| Faculty of Social Science | Gender and Development Studies |
| Faculty of Social Science | Mass Communication and Journalism |
| Faculty of Social Science | Public Administration |
| Faculty of Business Studies | Accounting and Information Systems |
| Faculty of Business Studies | Management Studies |
| Faculty of Business Studies | Marketing |
| Faculty of Business Studies | Finance and Banking |
| Faculty of Business Studies | Management Information Systems |
| Faculty of Science | Mathematics |
| Faculty of Science | Statistics |
| Faculty of Science | Physics |
| Faculty of Science | Chemistry |
| Faculty of Engineering & Technology | Computer Science and Engineering |
| Faculty of Engineering & Technology | Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
| Faculty of Life and Earth Sciences | Geography and Environmental Science |
| Faculty of Life and Earth Sciences | Disaster Management |

### Admission

BRUR enrolls undergraduate students. Students who want to get admitted need to pass and compete on the merit list in the admission test which is highly competitive. Admission tests are arranged by the university under the authority of the admission council for all faculties.
Statistics based on academic year 2014–15 admission:
* Total applicants: 90,402
* Total seats available: 1,258
* Average applicant-to-seat ratio: 72:1.
* Acceptance rate: 1.39%

## Central Library and Information Center

The Central Library and Information Center (CLIC) of Begum Rokeya University was established on 12 October 2008 to support the instructional and research programs of the university. The vice-chancellor opened all activities of CLIC on 19 November 2009.
Initially, CLIC started functioning at the temporary campus of the university (Teachers' Training College, Rangpur). It was shifted to the permanent campus on 19 March 2011. This library and information center has large reading rooms with huge resources such as books, journals, periodicals, etc. The director is Porimol Chandra Barman.

## Institute

Dr. Wazed Research and Training Institute. MPhil & PhD degrees are offered at this institute. The institute is one of the few institutes exclusively designed for MPhil and PhD programs in the country. It also offers an MPhil leading to a PhD.

## Residential halls
### For male students

* Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall
* Sohid Mukhtar Elahi Hall

### For female students

* Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall
* Sheikh Hasina Hall (under construction)

## Infrastructure
### Monuments

* Liberation Monument
* Sohid Minar

### Academic

* Four academic buildings
* Central Library
* Dr. Wazed Research and Training Institute (DWRTI)

### Administration

* Administrative Building

## Facilities

* In-campus medical facilities
* Own bus transportation service
* Central Library with Computer lab & seminar libraries in departments
* Cafeteria
* Central Mosque
* Cyber Center

## List of vice-chancellors

| Name | From | To |
| M. Lutfar Rahman | 20 October 2008 | 7 May 2009 |
| Mohammad Abdul Jalil Miah | 7 May 2009 | 5 May 2013 |
| A. K. M. Nurun Nabi | 6 May 2013 | 5 May 2017 |
| Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah | 1 June 2017 | 9 June 2021 |
| Md. Hasibur Rashid | 9 June 2021 | 10 August 2024 |