Dhaka University (DU) has begun discussions on a proposal to merge eight academic departments into three, although no final decision has been made.
The proposal was discussed under the "Miscellaneous" section at the university's Deans' Committee meeting on June 22. Deans have been asked to consult the chairmen of the departments concerned before submitting recommendations to the committee.
The information emerged from the meeting minutes signed by Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Abdus Salam.
Under the proposal, the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, the Department of Television, Film and Photography, and the Department of Printing and Publication Studies under the Faculty of Social Sciences would be merged into a single department.
Another proposal suggests merging the Department of Theater and Performance Studies with the Department of Music under the Faculty of Arts. A third proposal calls for merging the Department of Sanskrit with the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies.
According to the minutes, the deans of the relevant faculties will discuss the proposal with the department chairmen before presenting their recommendations to the Deans' Committee.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Abdus Salam said the merger proposal was not included in the meeting agenda but came up during discussions.
"No decision has been made yet," he said, adding that the matter would be discussed again at the next Deans' Committee meeting. He said the university would proceed after consulting the departments concerned, whether they supported or opposed the proposal.
Dean of the Faculty of Arts Professor Md. Abul Kalam Sarker said the departments had originally been separated to meet academic needs and questioned whether merging them again would be practical. He said restoring them to their previous structure would not be easy.
Several of the departments proposed for merger were once part of the same academic units.
The Department of Television, Film and Photography was separated from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism in 2012, while the Department of Printing and Publication Studies was established in 2015.
Similarly, the Sanskrit and Pali departments were split into the Department of Sanskrit and the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies during the 2006-07 academic year.
The Department of Drama and Music, established in 1994, was divided into separate departments in 2009. In 2014, the Department of Drama was renamed the Department of Theater and Performance Studies.
The number of departments at DU has grown significantly over the past two decades, particularly during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique. The expansion drew criticism over the creation of new departments without adequate assessment of academic demand or resources, while media investigations also questioned the planning behind the move.
The merger proposal comes as concerns have grown over vacant seats and low student enrolment in several recently established departments. Reports on admissions for the 2024-25 academic year showed that some departments under the Faculties of Arts and Science failed to fill all available seats, prompting fresh debate over the university's expansion policy.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
