A third of DU teachers are now women

Although Dhaka University (DU) began its journey without a single female teacher or student in 1921, women currently account for over 31% of its teachers. Even a decade ago, the number of female teachers was miniscule. However, things started changing in 2009, when the number of female teachers saw a significant rise. On June 6, 2012, for the first time in its 96-year history, Dhaka University appointed a female pro vice-chancellor in Prof Dr Nasreen Ahmad. She has since been serving as the Pro-VC (Academic) at the university. According to the DU administration as quoted by UNB, there are now 2,012 teachers at DU, including 630 women. Over the last eight years, the ratio of male-to-female teacher appointments has decreased to a large extent. During the period from 2009-2017, a total of 621 teachers were appointed to the university. Of them, 195 were women. Currently, the ratio between female teachers and their male counterparts is 1:3.18. DU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said teachers are appointed to the university based on merit. "The university authorities never appoint any teacher on special consideration," he said, adding that those who are skilled at making presentations are given priority. The VC further said: "Today women are outshining their male counterparts in all the sectors like politics, economics, education and administration." At present, the heads of 16 departments at DU are women: Economics, English, History, Psychology, Bangla, Music, Dance, Chemistry, Microbiology, Fisheries, Education and Counseling Psychology, Geography and Environment, Meteorology, Robotics & Mechatronics Engineering, Television, Film and Photography and Art History. In addition, five institutes - Education and Research (IER), Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Social Welfare and Research Institute, Institute of Modern Languages (ILM) and Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies - have female directors. More importantly, female teachers are now more active in teacher politics than in the past. Prof Najma Shaheen has long led the pro-Awami League Blue Panel of the university teachers. Under her leadership, the panel won 33 seats out of 35 in the last senate election held on May 22 last year and also swept all 15 seats in the last election to the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) held on December 8. Riffat Ferdous, head of DU Television, Film and Photography department, said the stereotype that women are weak and that they cannot take challenges has become obsolete. "They (women) have proved their worth in all sectors." Women are going ahead on all fronts, she added, expressing hope that women power at Dhaka University will encourage other women across the country to rise up and make their mark on history.