Sir Fazle Hasan Abed founded BRAC University in 2001, under the Private University Act.[5] The university was formally inaugurated by the President of Bangladesh and the Chancellor of BRAC University, Shahabuddin Ahmed, at Osmani Memorial Hall, Dhaka, on June 16, 2001.[6] The university began with just three departments and around 80 students in 2001 at Mohakhali, Dhaka.[7][8] The university is based on the American liberal arts college model. It held its first Convocation in January 2006. As the university grew, it increased the number of programs and introduced master's degrees.[9] The development of a library with high academic standards was important to Sir Abed. The Ayesha Abed Library was digitized shortly after its inception.[10] The university had 11,200 students in 20 schools, departments, and institutes in 2020.[citation needed] In 2023, Brac University authorities have proposed to change its name to "Sir Fazle Hasan Abed University", and "Abed University" for short.[11] But University Grants Commission declined it.[12] Now, BRAC University has a permanent city campus in Merul Badda, Dhaka.[13][14]
BRAC University has a permanent city campus in Merul Badda, Dhaka, a campus designed by WOHA Designs Pte Ltd., an architectural firm based in Singapore.[15] Construction of this facility began in 2017. The university building has 14 floors and a total area of 157,935 sq. meters. The facilities include an auditorium with 700 seats, a multipurpose hall with 1850 seats, classrooms, labs, design studios, lecture theaters, an IT data center, UPS, CCTVs, a cafeteria, an e-library, a parking lot, recreation facilities, and a rooftop playground.[16] The new campus is 2017 LafargeHolcim Asia Pacific- Bronze Winner awarded by LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. Until November 2023, the educational programs were conducted at the temporary campus of Mohakhali, but from now on, all the activities will be conducted at the permanent campus of Merul Badda.[17][18]
The Residential Campus at Savar was founded in 2003 and substantially expanded in 2012.[19] Students spend a semester on the Residential Campus, where they take specific courses and fulfill community tasks during the week. Residential Semester is mandatory for every student.[20] On Fridays and Saturdays, they visit orphanages, nursing homes, and landmark sites.
Inside the BRAC University residential campus (Tarc)
The current structure was established in 2011.[24] The President of Bangladesh is BRAC University's Chancellor. The board of trustees is the highest policy-making body of BRAC University.[25] It has 12 members, one of them being the Vice-Chancellor. Chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, the Syndicate supervises the academic and administrative functions of the university.[25] The Academic Council, also chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, makes education policy recommendations and reviews curricula and academic progress.[25]
Diverse academic units serve the mission of BRAC University. Departments have degree-granting programs, schools support strategic initiatives, institutes are autonomous research entities, and centers are project-based entities.
BRAC University was founded to support financially disadvantaged students. One of the early donors was the BRAC Ford scholarship program. The university has developed several scholarship programs for national and international students. The Open Society Foundation and the Open Society University Network have supported student activities and education.
The Office of Student Life (OSL) was created in 2019. OSL supervises the Department of Career Services, Alumni Affairs, and Clubs & Societies.
Many of the private university students of Bangladesh live with their parents during their university life. However, BRAC University has a mandatory residential semester at their Savar residential campus.
Asif Mahtab, a part-time teacher of BRAC University[36] held a teacher's conference in January 2024 following the continuation of the textbook controversy in Bangladesh, demonstrated anti-transgenderism by tearing the pages of the seventh grade textbook.[37] In response to this protest, BRAC University authorities fired Asif Mahtab.[38] When the incident went viral on social media, many criticized BRAC and called for a boycott of all BRAC-related products and services.[39]
Students of BRAC University staged a protest in response to the dismissal of teacher Asif Mahtab and calling for clarification of BRAC University's position on transformation.[40] In the protest rally, the students announced a boycott of all BRAC-related products, services and university classes. In addition, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh called for a boycott of Aarong and BRAC university as part of the anti-transformation protest.[41][42]
