The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed on Thursday formally inaugurated the country's 29th Public University named Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) at Mirpur Cantonment here.

"Necessity of establishing a separate university for professionals with facilities of providing higher education was felt since long. With the inauguration of the BUP, the long-cherished desire has come true, said General Moeen inaugurating the BUP as the chief guest.

The BUP will usher in a new chapter in making the members of the Armed Forces more knowledgeable," he said.

Earlier, Vice-Chancellor of the University, Major General Dr Abdul Wadud received the Chief of Army Staff at Mirpur Cantonment.

Terming the inauguration of the university as a centre of excellence, the Army Chief said the university has been established aiming at bringing all educational institutions of the armed forces under an umbrella.

General Moeen described the inception of the BUP as a milestone in the field of the country's higher education and said the university will be emerged as a "beacon of hope" to face the global challenge.

Acting Chiefs of Navy and Air Force, Principal Staff Officer of AFD, UGC Chairman, Secretaries, Vice-Chancellors of different universities, academics, high military and civil officials and Defence and military attaches of different countries were also present on the occasion.

The BUP has started its journey on June 5 this year, with nine affiliated academic institutions: National Defence College (NDC), Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Armed Forces Medical Institute (AFMI), Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA), Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) and Bangladesh Air Force Academy (BAFA).

Initially bachelor degrees of 10 categories in various disciplines of Engineering, Medicine and General Education and Masters degrees of 25 categories in various disciplines of Military Studies, War Studies, Medicine and M Phil will be awarded from this BAU.

The University has full authority like any other public university to confer Ph D degrees. It has five faculties: Faculty of Security and Strategic Studies, Faculty of Technical Studies, Faculty of Medical Studies and Faculty of General Studies to facilitate smooth academic activities.

Besides, Faculty of Business Studies is the direct teaching faculty of the university initially for MBA and Executive MBA and subsequently BBA programmes.

The BUP will deal not only with the education of the Armed Forces personnel but also the civilian students from home and abroad through its affiliated bodies.