Shireen Akhter (born 1 May 1956[1]) is a Bangladeshi academic. She was the first female vice chancellor of the University of Chittagong.[2][3][4]

Shireen Akhter
শিরীণ আখতার
18th Vice Chancellor of the University of Chittagong
In office
3 November 2019 – 19 March 2024
ChancellorPresident of Bangladesh
Preceded byIftekhar Uddin Chowdhury
Succeeded byMd. Abu Taher
Personal details
Born (1956-05-01) 1 May 1956 (age 68)
Cox's Bazar, East Pakistan, Pakistan
NationalityBangladeshi
SpouseLatiful Alam Chowdhury (died 2020)
Education
OccupationAcademic

Background and education

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Akhter was born at joarianala, Ramu in Cox's Bazar on 1 May 1956.[5] Her father was Afsar Kamal Chowdhury and mother was Begum Lutfunnahar Kamal.[5]

Akhter completed her SSC and HSC in 1973 and 1975 respectively. She earned her bachelor's and master's from the University of Chittagong in 1978 and 1981 respectively.[6] In 1991, She earned her PhD from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.[6]

Career

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Akhter was a member of Election Commission (EC) Search committee. She joined the University of Chittagong as a lecturer of Bangla department in 1996.[7][8]

In 2006, Akhter was promoted to professor.[9]

Akhter was appointed the first female vice chancellor of the University of Chittagong on 3 November 2019.[6] She replaced Dr Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury.[9] In November 2020, she was nominated for the Begum Rokeya Padak and received it in December from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[10][11]

On 29 April 2021, Akhter was reappointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chittagong.[12]

Akhter's office was vandalized in January 2023 by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists led by its University of Chittagong unit President Moynul Hasan for not recruiting Raihan Ahmed, a Bangladesh Chhatra League activist, as a faculty.[13]

Personal life

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Akhter was married to Major (Retired) Latiful Alam Chowdhury.[14] He died on 29 July 2020.[14] They had two children.[5]

Works

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  • Bangladesher Tinjon Oupanyasik Showkat : Osman, Waliullah, Abu Ishaq. (1991)[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Prof Shireen made acting VC of CU". The Daily Star. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  2. ^ চবিতে প্রথম নারী ভিসি শিরীণ আখতার. bdnews24 (in Bengali). Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Dr. Shireen Akhter CU". cu.ac.bd. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  4. ^ চট্টগ্রাম বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে উপাচার্য পদে যাদবপুরের প্রাক্তনী (in Bengali). এইসময়.ইন্ডিয়া টাইমস. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Dr Shirin Akter, first female Pro-VC of CU | The Asian Age Online, Bangladesh". The Asian Age. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "CU gets first female VC". Prothomalo. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Prof Shirin takes charge of CU VC". Banglanews24.com. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  8. ^ "First woman pro-Vice Chancellor at Chittagong University". bdnews24.com. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  9. ^ a b "CU gets first female Pro VC". Dhaka Tribune. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  10. ^ "CU VC Shirin Akhter named for Rokeya Padak". bangladeshpost.net. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  11. ^ "5 eminent women named for Begum Rokeya Padak 2020". Dhaka Tribune. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Retiree Shireen Akhter reappointed as Chittagong University VC". The Business Standard. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  13. ^ Report, Star Digital (30 January 2023). "CU VC office vandalised for not recruiting BCL leader as teacher". The Daily Star. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  14. ^ a b Roy, Subrata (29 July 2020). "CU VC's husband Latiful Alam Chowdhury dies". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  15. ^ Shireen Akhter (1993). Bangladesher Tin Jon Oupanyasik: Showkat Osman, Syed Waliullah o Abu Ishaque (in Bengali). Dhaka: Bangla Academy. ISBN 9789840728480.