 Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid The Hon’ble President of Bangladesh and Honorable Chancellor Bangladesh Open University |
Vice-Chancellor | Bangladesh Open University
Professor Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter
Vice-Chancellor
Bangladesh Open University
Professor Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter is a Bangladeshi academic and geoscientist, currently the 8th Vice-Chancellor of the Bangladesh Open University (BOU). Before joining BOU to this position, he served in different academic, administrative and co-curricular development activities at the University of Dhaka including the Provost and House Tutor of the Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall; Dhaka University Senate Member; Chairman, Department of Geology; Director, Delta Study Center; Student Advisor of Geology Department, Faculty Advisors of Society of Exploration Geophysicist (SEG) Dhaka University Chapter and Society of Petroleum Exploration (SPE) Dhaka University Chapter.
Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter was born on 26th February 1955 in Kushtia, Bangladesh. He is the eldest son and 2nd child of Mrs Shahana Khatun and Dr. Syed Abu Akhter Fazley Rob (a renowned medical practitioner; President of BMA Kushtia; local organizer of the Bangladesh Liberation War and provided medical services to wounded freedom fighters of Bangladesh in 1971). In his personal life, he is married to Khondokar Junnatul Ferdous and has two daughters.
Dr. Humayun Akhter passed the SSC examination from Mohinimohan Vidhyapith School, Kushtia in 1970 and the HSC examination from Kushtia Govt. College in 1972. He obtained his BSc (1975) and MSc (1976) degrees in Geology from Dhaka University. He was awarded Indian Government Scholarship in 1980 for post graduate study and earned a Ph.D (1986) degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, India. Dr. Humayun Akhter started his career as a geologist in Prakausali Sangsad Ltd. in 1979 and also worked in the National Museum of Bangladesh and Petrobangla. In 1987, he joined Dhaka University as a Lecturer in the Department of Geology and in 2002 became a Professor in the same department. Professor Humayun Akhter specialized in Earthquake Geology, Geodetic GPS, Structure and Tectonics, Thermoluminescence Age Dating, Field Geology, Remote Sensing and Photogeology, Engineering Geology, and Natural Hazards.
Dr. Humayun Akhter has a long track record of research collaboration with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) of Columbia University in the city of New York, USA, and other universities of USA, UK, Germany, Singapore & India. He is a visiting scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory since 2003. He has significant experiences in the field of geotectonic, earthquake geology, geodetic GPS, and natural hazards. He carried out fieldworks with the BanglaPIRE (NSF PIRE project) research team in the tectonically active regions of the Himalayan and Burmese deformation front. Dr. Humayun Akhter has established the Dhaka University Earth Observatory (DUEO) and run the network of 6 permanent seismic stations, 54 portable seismographs, and 30 continuous geodetic GPS stations. Dr. Humayun Akhter was one of the six grant recipients of the NSF-USAID Pilot Program PEER (Partnership for Enhanced Education in Research) grant. He was invited to the official launching ceremony of PEER Science in the NSF Office, Washington DC for his contribution to the project. He was an active partner and one of the three members of the Directorate of the NSF PIRE Project, Grant OISE 09-68354.
Professor Humayun Akhter has published numerous research articles (>50 full articles & >80 abstracts) in peer-reviewed national and international geoscientific journals and presented research findings in many international conferences, workshops, and seminars. He is a regular contributor in the national and international print and electronic media on earthquakes and natural hazards in Bangladesh. Dr. Humayun Akhter established ‘Sediment Sample Repository and Data Bank’, the first of its kind in the country. He has organized and conducted training on earthquake geology, earthquake networking, paleoseismology, earthquake hazard analysis, multichannel seismic data processing & interpretation. Dr. Humayun Akhter developed the infrastructure of the “Seismic and Geodesy Lab” at the Geology Department, DU with modern facilities for training and advance research on earthquake and seismic hazards. He has been working on crustal dynamics, Indo-Burma Subduction Zone tectonics, seismicity & subsidence in Bangladesh, a project of joint research collaboration between Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO), Columbia University, and Dhaka University Earth Observatory (DUEO) under financial support from NSF, USA. He writes popular articles and gives TV talks on earthquakes and natural hazards and has been known for his stand in creating public awareness against natural hazards particularly earthquake hazards in Bangladesh.
Professor Syed Humayun Akhter is a lifetime member of Geological Society of Bangladesh & National Oceanographic and Maritime Institute (NOAMI), affiliated member of American Geophysical Union (AGU), Geological Society of America (GSA), Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS), Bangladesh Society of Geoinformatics (BSGI) and foreign affiliated member of Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology (IRIS), USA, University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO), USA. Dr. Humayun Akhter is also the General Secretary of Geohazard Research Advancement for Bangladesh (GRAB).
Officer’s List:
| Name | Designation | Phone/ E-mail |
| Professor Dr. Syed Humayun Akhter | Vice-Chancellor | 9291100, 8615221, 09666730730/101, vc@bou.ac.bd vcoffice@bou.ac.bd shakhter@yahoo.com Fax: Gazipur-9291122 Fax: Dhaka-8615750 |
| Mohammad Habibuzzaman | Private Secretary to Vice-Chancellor | 9291125, 09666730730/600 9661517 (Dhaka office), 9139301 (Res.) hzaman@bou.edu.bd hzaman.bou@gmail.com |
| Md. Abu Kaisar | APS to Vice-Chancellor & Assistant Director | 09666730730/801 kaisar@bou.edu.bd |
| Md. Badrul Islam | Assistant Chief Campus Supervisor | 09666730730/802 sabu.du@yahoo.com |
| Audit Cell (Under Vice-Chancellor’s Office) | ||
| Dr. A.H. M. Anisur Rahman Akhand | Director (SSS) & in-charge Audit Cell | 09666730730/778 anisrahman.bou@gmail.com |
| Mohammad Aslam | Joint Director (Audit) | 09666730730/601 aslamctg@bou.edu.bd |
| Mia Md. Maniruzzaman | Joint Director | 09666730730/602 manir@bou.edu.bd |
| Md. Mozibur Rahman Mooral | Assistant Director | 09666730730/807 moorolmozibur@gmail.com |
| Mohammad Ahsan Mollah | Assistant Director | 09666730730/809 mdahsanmolla@yahoo.com |
| Md. Rakib Hossain | Assistant Director | 09666730730/810 rhassanzia@yahoo.com |
| Md. Wazed Ali | Assistant Director | 09666730730/811 mdwazedali85@yahoo.com |
| Md. Manir Hossain | Audit Officer | |
| Md. Ziaul Kabir Manik | Audit Officer | |
| S M Mizanur Rahman | Audit Officer |
Pro-Vice-Chancellor | Bangladesh Open University
Professor Dr. Nasim Banu
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Bangladesh Open University
Dr Nasim Banu, hailed from Rupganj, Narayanganj, is a Professor in the Department of Public Administration at Islamic University; Kushtia, joined Bangladesh Open University (BOU) as Pro- Vice Chancellor on 19 February 2021. She was given additional charge of Vice-Chancellor on 24 March at the end of tenure of former VC which continued up to 29 June 2021. Before joining BOU she was founder Dean and Chairman of Faculty of Social Sciences and Department of Development Studies respectively; and Convener, Eve Teasing Prevention and Protection Committee at Islamic University. Besides that, at Islamic University, she was Independent House Tutor of Female Unit of Saddam Hossain Hall and Chairperson, Department of Politics and Public Administration. She did her BSS Honors and MSS degree in Public Administration in the year of 1982 and 1983 respectively from the University of Dhaka. She also did her second Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) which is equivalent to M. Phil degree in 1991 from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). She earned PhD degree in 2010 for her thesis on Monitoring and Evaluation of system Bangladesh Public Project Management. Prof. Banu started her teaching career in 1990 at Islamic University, Kushtia with wide range research experience in the field of Social Sciences and since then she has been passionate for learning and continued to diversify her knowledge in multi-disciplinary field. She is attached with Pabna Science & Technology University, Jahangirnagar University, Islamic University and, Bangahbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science & Technology University, Gupalganj as an expert member of teacher’s selection board. Prof. Nasim Banu has contributed with her writing to Banglapedia and Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration. She has been associated with different journals and periodicals as editor reviewers, and advisory members. She has published over 30 research articles, 01 book and 05 book chapters in different books published by reputed publishers of home and abroad. She attended 12 International Conferences in abroad as resource person and organized an International Conference in home at Islamic University, Kushtia on “Sustainability and Sustainable Development”. She is a life member of Bangladesh Institute of Planners; Bangladesh Public Administration Association; and Network of Asia Pacific Schools and Institute of Public Administration and Governance (NAPSPAG). Prof. Nasim Banu travelled to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherland, Germany, Spain, Italy, and United Kingdom for academic as well as personal visit purpose.
Officer’s List
| Name | Designation | Phone/E-mail |
| Professor Dr. Nasim Banu | Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) | 9291115, 09666730730/102 9667391 (Dhaka Office) Fax: 9291149 (Gazipur) boupvc@bou.ac.bd nasimbanu411@yahoo.com |
| Md. Abul Kalam Azad | PS to Pro-Vice-Chancellor & Assistant Director | 09666730730/806 akazad70.bou@gmail.com azad@bou.edu.bd |
| Shama Kanta Roy | Administrative Officer | 09666730730/536 |
Pro-Vice-Chancellor | Bangladesh Open University
Professor Dr. Mahbuba Nasreen
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Bangladesh Open University
Professor Mahbuba Nasreen, the Director and Co-founder of the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies (IDMVS), University of Dhaka has appointed on deputation by his Excellency the President of Bangladesh and Chancellor of universities as Pro Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University (BOU). She has joined at BOU on 1st August, 2021. Prof. Nasreen’s career started as a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Dhaka in 1988. She has conferred PhD degree with Commonwealth Scholarship in 1991 from New Zealand and developed a grounded theory on women’s contributions to disasters. After being serving as Professor in Sociology from 2005-2012 she was appointed as Director of IDMVS. For her outstanding academic performance Prof. Nasreen was awarded with the scholarships from primary to higher secondary levels of education including President Award at HSC for securing 4th position in the combined merit list in Humanities group from Dhaka Board. She has achieved Chancellor Award for securing First Class First Position in the BSS (Hons) final examination from the University of Dhaka. She has served as the Provost of Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall, University of Dhaka, Chancellor nominated Senate Member (2015-2018) and elected member of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association. She is the Executive member of the several professional bodies including Dhaka University Alumni Association, Dhaka University Sociology Alumni Association, member of Massey University Alumni Association and others. Prof. Nasreen is the member of the Women related Subcommittee of Bangladesh Awami League and Advisor of the Forest and Environment Subcommittee, Bangladesh Awami League.
Prof. Nasreen has contributed in several policies in Bangladesh as member of technical appraisal; advisory committee and author including education curriculum; SDGs; drafting chapter for the Seventh Five Year Plan; Climate Change Gender Action Plan and other policy documents. Since 2009, she is representing University of Dhaka as a member of the National Disaster Management Advisory Committee (NDMAC), and in 2019 she has been nominated as the Advisor of the first ever position on ‘Gender and Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction’ in the NDMAC formed by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (GoB). She has participated and contributed in several national and global forums organized by UN and relevant others such as World Conference on Women, Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), first ever World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) and the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR).
Dr. Nasreen has been honored with Mary Fran Myers Award, 2016, from Natural Hazards Center, Colorado University (Boulder), USA for her three-decade long contributions in disaster research. She is involved in collaborative research and networking activities in home and abroad including Oxford University, University College London (UCL), UK; Ohio State University, Lock Haven University, The University of Mississippi, USA; Duryog Nivaran, in South Asia and others. Prof. Nasreen is the honourary Visiting Professor of University College London, UK.
Dr Mahbuba has a large number of national and international publications. She is a regular columnist in reputed dailies and a media personality on contemporary issues. She is the supervisor of number of PhD and M.Phil dissertations in home and abroad including Netherlands, UK and USA.
Personal: Dr. Nasreen is born on 1st February, 1963 in a progressive freedom fighter family in Jhiltuly, Faridpur. She is married and having one child.
Officer’s List
| Name | Designation | Phone/E-mail |
| Professor Mahbuba Nasreen, PhD | Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) | 9291163, 09666730730 Ext. 103, 09666730730 Ext. 203 (Dhaka Office), mnasreen@bou.ac.bd, mahbubadu@yahoo.com |
| Most. Ferdusi Begum | PS to Pro-Vice-Chancellor & Deputy Director | 09666730730 Ext. |
Treasurer | Bangladesh Open University
Professor Mostafa Azad Kamal
Treasurer
Bangladesh Open University
Professor Mostafa Azad Kamal joined as the Treasurer of Bangladesh Open University (BOU) on May 5th, 2021. Previously, he was a professor in International and Development Economics and the Dean of the School of Business, BOU. Professor Azad is the first professor of BOU who has been appointed in a statutory position of BOU by the honorable Chancellor of the university. As a proud son of a freedom fighter, Professor Azad is highly motivated and inspired by the spirit of the liberation war of Bangladesh. He always believes that patriotism, innovation, sincerity, and recognition are the key to change! Philosophically, he supports empowerment over traditional educational practices. He believes that traditional education already lost its mainstream usefulness and thence, the focus should be on Empowerment. According to him, a transformation is a must in educational design and practices at all levels to make the graduates ready for 21st century; otherwise, it will be difficult to exploit the benefits from the 4th industrial revolution. He strongly desires to see BOU at the forefront of the 4th Education Revolution.
Professor Azad got an outstanding academic background. He got first divisions in both Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) programs. He won a highly competitive scholarship during his secondary schooling. He stood First with First Class both in Bachelor of Social Science (BSS-Honors) in Economics and Master of Social Science (MSS) programs from the University of Chittagong. He was the faculty first in the Social Science Faculty of the University of Chittagong and for that, he received the book money award from the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC). Later, he completed his further study in International and Development Economics from the University of Namur, Belgium, with a Distinction grade under the prestigious CUD (Commission Universitaire pour le Développement) scholarship from the Belgic Government. In addition, he got very intensive training on instructional design in ODL from the University of Waterloo, Canada, and also on instructional design in eLearning from Open Polytechnic, New Zealand.
Professor Azad has been engaged in open and distance learning for more than 24 years. His research interests are development economics, eLearning, OER, ODL, and quality assurance in higher education. He teaches economics, statistics, research methods, project management, international business, and quantitative techniques courses in MBA and Commonwealth MBA/MPA programs offered by the School of Business, Bangladesh Open University. He is an instructional designer in eLearning and ODL. He is the innovator and coordinator of the eLearning Project of Bangladesh Open University supported by the Access to Information (A2i), ICT Division. Professor Azad plays a vital role in the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh’s (UGC) initiatives relating to Online learning and Assessment as an expert team member. He was also attached to Bangladesh Accreditation Council (BAC) as an expert member for developing and implementing Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF), accreditation standards, and criteria for higher education. Professor Azad was the Director of the eLearning Center of BOU from 2015 to 2016.
Professor Azad is currently a member of the International Academic Board for Commonwealth Executive MBA and MPA programs, Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Vancouver, Canada. He is also a part-time consultant of Commonwealth of Learning for TEL (Technology-Enabled Learning), ODL (Open and Distance Learning), and OER (Open Educational Resources). Recently, he coordinated the Technology-Enabled Learning Community of Practice (TELCOP) initiative of Commonwealth of Learning. He was the Coordination Focal Point for thee GirlsInspire initiative of COL. He is currently coordinating the COL-BOU project on the Implementation of the Higher Education Integration Model. Professor Azad is a Creative Commons (CC) inspired trainer on OER and Open Licences. He is also a Creative Commons Fellow for Institutional Open Leadership (IOL). Professor Azad is the Country Representative for Creative Commons Bangladesh Chapter and also a member of the 15-member central Membership Committee of Creative Commons, USA. Currently, he is mentoring an OER project under the Open Education for a Better World (OE4BW) initiative of UNESCO and UNESCO Chair in Slovenia on open technologies for Open Educational Resources and Open Learning.
His works mostly focus on research, awareness building, and policy development relating to OER, Open Education, Open Access, Open Data, Open Science, Open Innovations, and Open Government. Professor Azad promotes open education in Bangladesh by helping the institutions and government develop the OER Policies. He was involved in developing and updating OER Policies in Bangladesh. He helped Bangladesh Open University and Dhaka Ahsania Mission develop their OER Policies and he also worked with the Ministry of Education and Commonwealth of Learning to develop the National OER Policy in Bangladesh. He was also involved in updating the OER Policy at the Open University of Sri Lanka. Recently he was assigned by Commonwealth Educational Media Center for Asia (CEMCA) to develop OER Policies for Tamil Nadu Open University and The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), India. Professor Mostafa got experience in coordinating, supporting, and evaluating a number of international and national projects relating to eLearning, OER, ODL, and quality assurance in higher education.
He attended a number of conferences, seminars, and workshops as keynote speaker, presenter, panelist, or trainer at home and abroad. He traveled to several countries including Singapore, Sri Lanka, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, France, UK, Canada, USA, South Africa, Thailand, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Mauritius, Nigeria, India, Portugal, and Slovenia. He got a passion for promoting empowerment-focused technology-enabled education in Bangladesh. Currently, he trying to learn more about cutting-edge technologies such as AI, VR, AR, Chatbot, Deep Learning, the First Principles, eMentorship, etc. He likes to be with nature and follow the nature-synced lifestyle.
Professor Azad is married to Dr. Sadia Afroze Sultana, Professor in Physics and the former Dean of Open School, Bangladesh Open University. He is the father of two technologically empowered smart sons – Sadin Mostafa Musad and Sazin Mostafa Muntakim. His best sources of inspiration are the love from his Ratnagarva mother Feroza Khatoon and supports from his family. He is always moved by the honesty and patriotic traits of his late father Freedom Fighter Md. Abdul Matin. He is the eldest son of his parents.
Guiding Quotes for Professor Azad:
“এই স্বাধীনতা তখনি আমার কাছে প্রকৃত স্বাধীনতা হয়ে উঠবে, যেদিন বাংলার কৃষক-মজুর ও দুঃখী মানুষের সকল দুঃখের অবসান হবে ” – বঙ্গবন্ধু শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান
“Dreams can come true, no matter what your circumstances are. Believe in yourself and
do not allow circumstances to define you”– Frances Ferreira, COL
“Once you stop learning, you start dying”– Albert Einstein
Officer’s List
| Name | Designation | Phone/E-mail |
| Professor Mostafa Azad Kamal | Treasurer | 9291114, 09666730730/104, 9666223 (Dhaka Office) mostafa_azad@yahoo.com treasurer@bou.ac.bd |
| Mohammad Zakir Hossain | Deputy Director & PS to Treasurer | 09666730730/604 zakirbou10@gmail.com zakir10@bou.edu.bd |
| Md. Wahiduzzaman Howlader | Assistant Director | 09666730730/949 wahid2174@yahoo.com |