Public Universities in Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh. There are some of the best public universities in Dhaka. These universities have earned a reputation for academic excellence and research and have produced skilled professionals contributing to nation-building. In this post, we will discuss the top public universities in Dhaka.
List of Public Universities in Dhaka
1. University of Dhaka (DU)
Location: Sahbag, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Established:1921
Area: 275.083 acres
Authority: University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh
Ranking: In 2024, DU-554 in the QS World Ranking (2025) ) be the number one among Bangladeshi universities.
Faculties and Departments: 13 faculties, 83 departments, 13 institutes, more than 56 research centers, and 20 residential halls.
DU Admission Procedure: Admission to Dhaka University is very competitive and is based on HSC or equivalent examination and a test. The university attracts the best students from all over the country.
Students: As of 2024, the University of Dhaka has around 46,150 students. That makes it one of the largest public universities in Bangladesh.
2. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
Location: Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Established: 1962
Area: 275.083 acres
Authority: UGC
Ranking: Ranked 5th among the Asian universities in the QS World University Ranking 2024 and recognized as one of the top engineering universities in BD.
Faculties and Departments: It has 6 faculties, 18 departments, 6 institutes, and 9 residential halls.
BUET Admission Procedure: Admission to BUET is highly competitive and is based on the results of the HSC or equivalent examination and a nationwide admission test. The university ensures that only the most talented and dedicated individuals are admitted to its programs.
Students: BUET has around 9,234 students as of February 2020.
3. Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET)
Location: Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Established: 1980 (as the College of Engineering, Dhaka)
Area: 23.42 acres
Authoritative Body: University Grants Commission
Ranking: 90 ranked in the Asian University Rankings 2024.
Faculties and Departments: DUET has 4 faculties, 14 departments, 3 institutes, and 6 residential halls.
DUET Admission Procedure: DUET is only eligible for diploma engineers around the country, with only the top 5% of students being admitted.
Students: It has approximately 3,515 students, both undergraduate and postgraduate.
4. Jahangirnagar University (JU)
Location: Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Established: 1970
Area: 697.56 acres
Authoritative Body: UGC
Ranking: JU is recognized for its academic excellence, research capabilities, and contributions to the development of Bangladesh. (1st fully resident)
Faculties and Departments: 6 faculties, 27 departments, 4 specialized institutes, and countries first fully residential university with 21 halls.
Students: JU has a student population of approximately 49,946.
5. Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST)
Location: Mirpur Cantonment, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Established: 1998
Area: 50 acres
Affiliation: Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP)
Ranking: MIST is ranked 5th among universities in the country and 6,383rd globally.
Faculties and Departments: 4 faculties, 12 departments, and 4 diploma courses.
MIST Admission Procedure: It is highly competitive and is based on the HSC results or equivalent exams and a nationwide admission test.
Student: MIST has approximately 3000 students, with both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
6. Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX)
Location: Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Established: 2010
Area: 11.57 acres
Authoritative Body: UGC
Faculties and Departments: 5 faculties, 14 departments, 1 institute, 9 affiliated Textaile colleges, and 4 residential halls.
Student Population: As of 2022, BUTEX has 3,000 students, with both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
7. Islamic University of Technology (IUT)
Location: Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Established: 1978 (as the Islamic Center for Technical, Vocational Training, and Research)
Area: 30 acres
Authoritative Body: Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh
Ranking: Ranked 125 in the Asian University Rankings-Southern Asia 2024, and QS World Rankings 401 in 2023.
Faculties and Departments: 2 faculties, 6 departments, 1 institute, 9 affiliated Textile colleges, and 4 residential halls.
IUT Admission: Admission to IUT is highly competitive and is based on the results of the HSC or equivalent—examination with a competitive entrance test. IUT attracts students from OIC member countries and Bangladesh.
Student: As of available information, IUT has a student population of around 2845, with 95% undergraduate and 5% postgraduate students.
8. Jagannath University (JnU)
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Established: 2005
Area: 10 acres
Authoritative Body: University Grants Commission (UGC)
Faculties and Departments: 6 faculties, 36 departments, 2 institutes, and 1 female resident hall.
JnU Admission Procedure: Admission to JnU is under the GST university admission test.
Student Population: JnU has a student population of around 19088.
9. Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU)
Location: Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Established: 1998
Area: 86.97 acres
Authoritative Body: UGC
Ranking: SAU is a public agricultural university recognized for its contributions to agricultural education and research in BD.
Faculties and Departments: 6 faculties, 2 research organizations, 1 institute, and 7 resident halls.
SAU Admission Procedure: SAU admission test is held under the GST Agriculture University admission test.
Student: It has around 3300 students, making it a relatively smaller public university in Dhaka.
10. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (BSMRMU)
Location: Temporary Campus-Pallabi Mirpur-12, Dhaka-1216, and Permanent Campus-Hamidchar, Chattogram
Area: 106.6 acres
Established: 2013
Authoritative Body: UGC and Bangladesh Navy
Faculties and Departments: 8 faculties, 36 departments, and 7 affiliate institutes.
BSMRMU Admission: BSMRMU attracts students who are interested in pursuing careers in the maritime and shipping industries.
Student: approximately 1050.
11. Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP)
Location: Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Established: 2009
Area: 56 acres
Authoritative Body: UGC and Bangladesh Armed Forces
Faculties and Departments: 8 faculties, 7 modern language centers, and 11 affiliate institutions.
BUP Admission Procedure: Admission to BUP is based on the results of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or equivalent examination and a competitive entrance test.
Student: BUP has around 10,000 students.
12. National University (NU)
Location: Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Established: 1992
Authoritative Body: University Grants Commission
Ranking: NU is the largest public university in the country and one of the largest universities in the world.
Campus: NU has 2254 nationwide affiliate colleges.
NU Admission Procedure: Admission to NU is based on the results of SSC, HSC, or equivalent examination and the college choice system. Nu admission system is different from others like students don’t need to sit for admission here.
Student: NU has approximately 2.5 million students.
This public university in Dhaka have different academic programs, are well-facilitated, and have a great student community. They not only provide quality education, research, and innovation but also continue to shape the future of Bangladesh through skilled professionals and leaders in many fields.
Among them, the University of Dhaka, BUET, and DUET are considered the best public universities in Dhaka, while BUET is ranked among the very top engineering universities in Asia. Decades have passed with these universities maintaining their reputation for academic brilliance, quality graduates, and immense contributions to national development with state-of-the-art research and innovations.
Their programs range from Engineering and Technology to Agriculture, Business and Maritime Studies, through to the Humanities. They are recognized as committed to research, innovation, and community engagement; hence, a valuable asset in the development of the country.
These universities do not let just about anybody in; the competition is very stiff, and one will be admitted only based on their performances at school, entrance tests, and other criteria. Thus, other than academic facilities, they were also very attentive to providing facilities for all-around educational experiences and professional faculties so that every educational experience could prepare students for careers and life.
In short, they produce professionals and innovators; they shape the nation. They attract the brightest minds and offer unparalleled academic and personal growth opportunities. Hence, they top the list for higher education in Bangladesh.