Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, commonly known by the acronym RUET, is a PhD granting, 2nd oldest public engineering and technological research university in Bangladesh. It specialises in the fields of applied sciences, engineering, technology, architecture, and urban planning.
History
Establishment (1964–1971) Before the independence of Bangladesh, the Government of East Pakistan established Rajshahi Engineering College (REC) in 1964 as a faculty of engineering under the University of Rajshahi. It was the second engineering college in then East Pakistan and was founded to meet the growing demand for professional engineers.
The college began its academic activities with three departments: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Civil Engineering. The first batch of approximately 120 students was admitted in the 1964–65 academic session, and the institution initially had 19 faculty members.
Post-independence restructuring (1971–1986) After the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, the administrative structure of the college became complex, with different authorities controlling administration, academics, and infrastructure. To resolve these issues, several committees and commissions were formed from 1973 onward.
Based on their recommendations, in 1986 the college was restructured as the Bangladesh Institute of Technology (BIT), Rajshahi, aiming to improve technical education and administrative efficiency.
University status (2003) In September 2003, BIT Rajshahi was upgraded to a full-fledged public university and renamed Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET). This transformation was carried out under the "Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology Act, 2003", granting the institution full academic and administrative autonomy.
Expansion and modern development (2003–present)
Following its upgrade, the university expanded its academic programs and infrastructure. The Architecture department was established in 2013, marking an important addition to design-oriented and interdisciplinary education.
In subsequent years, RUET introduced additional modern and interdisciplinary disciplines such as Mechatronics engineering, Materials science, and Urban and regional planning, reflecting the evolving demands of engineering education and industry.
Currently, the university comprises 14 departments under several faculties and offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Each year, several hundred students are admitted through a competitive admission process, with thousands of students enrolled across different levels.
At the graduate level, programs such as M.Sc. Engg., M. Engg., M.Phil, and PhD are offered. The university also enrolls international students, and the medium of instruction is English.
Campus
Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) is situated in the northern part of Bangladesh, in the city of Rajshahi—the educational center of North Bengal. The campus has been described as representing a "spectacular harmony of architecture and natural beauty".
The present campus covers approximately 152 acres and includes academic buildings, laboratories, workshops, residential halls, faculty housing, administrative offices, and recreational facilities.
Historical development of the campus RUET originated as Rajshahi Engineering College in 1964 under the University of Rajshahi. During its early years, the campus infrastructure was limited, consisting of a few academic buildings and basic residential facilities.
After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, gradual expansion of the campus began with the construction of new academic buildings, laboratories, and student halls. In 1986, when the institution was upgraded to Bangladesh Institute of Technology (BIT), Rajshahi, further infrastructural development took place, including workshops and modern laboratory facilities.
Following its transformation into a full-fledged university in 2003, the campus underwent significant modernization and expansion. New departments, research laboratories, residential halls, and support facilities were established, shaping the present RUET campus into a comprehensive engineering education hub.
Library
The Central Library of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) serves as the primary academic library of the university and supports teaching, learning, and research activities across different disciplines.
The library houses collections related to engineering, science, architecture, urban planning, and technology. Its holdings include textbooks, reference books, journals, newspapers, theses, dissertations, and digital resources.
RUET Central Library uses the KOHA Integrated Library System (ILS) for cataloguing and circulation services. Students and faculty members can access the online public access catalogue (OPAC) to search for books and other materials.
The library also provides access to several online databases and academic platforms, including: IEEE Xplore ACM Digital Library JSTOR SpringerLink Taylor & Francis Online Oxford Scholarship Online UGC Digital Library (UDL) BAS-LiCoB consortium resources
The central reading room has seating facilities for around 150 students, along with a separate reading space for faculty members. The library is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, internet facilities, and digital search services for academic use.
In addition to the central library, departmental seminar libraries and hall libraries operate in various academic departments and residential halls of the university.
International conferences For the last few years, RUET has been organising national and international conferences at its campus to enhance the research capabilities of its students and faculty. Among the conferences organised by RUET, the following ones are notable.
International Conference on Mechanical, Industrial and Materials Engineering (ICMIME): Organised biennially by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering International Conference on Electrical, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering (ICECTE): Organised biennially by the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering International Conference on Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering (ICPACE): Organised biennially by the Faculty of Civil Engineering International Conference on Computer & Information Engineering (ICCIE): Organised biennially by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering
List of vice-chancellors and earlier heads
The following table lists all heads of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) from its establishment in 1964 as Rajshahi Engineering College (REC), through Bangladesh Institute of Technology (BIT), Rajshahi, to its present status as a university.
No. Name Designation Term of office Rajshahi Engineering College (REC) – Principals (1964–1986) 1 Abul Mohsin Ahmed Principal 17 August 1964 – 1 December 1967 2 Kazi Harun-Or-Rashid 1 December 1967 – 1 March 1968 3 Md. Kabir Uddin 1 March 1968 – 1 August 1970 4 Md. Rais Uddin Ahmed 2 August 1970 – 20 September 1971 5 Wahid Uddin Ahmed 24 September 1971 – 12 November 1972 6 Abul Kalam Azad 13 November 1972 – 10 March 1973 7 Md. Rais Uddin Ahmed 11 March 1973 – 8 March 1977 8 K. M. Waliuzzaman 9 March 1977 – 6 July 1978 9 A. H. M. Haider Azam 7 July 1978 – 6 February 1980 10 Kazi Harun-Or-Rashid 6 February 1980 – 18 December 1981 11 G. M. Habibullah 18 December 1981 – 28 February 1983 12 K. M. Waliuzzaman 1 March 1983 – 30 June 1986 Bangladesh Institute of Technology (BIT), Rajshahi – Directors (1986–2003) 13 K. M. Waliuzzaman Director 1 July 1986 – 4 March 1987 14 G. M. Habibullah 5 March 1987 – 12 March 1989 15 K. M. Waliuzzaman 13 March 1989 – 24 July 1991 16 Md. Matlab Ali Khan 21 January 1992 – 3 September 1993 17 A. M. Rezaul Karim Talukder 4 September 1993 – 3 July 1996 18 G. M. Habibullah 4 July 1996 – 17 June 1997 19 A. K. M. Rezaul Karim 18 June 1997 – 9 July 1997 20 G. M. Habibullah 12 July 1998 – 29 April 2001 21 Md. Keramat Ali Molla 30 April 2001 – 31 August 2003 Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) – Vice-Chancellors (2003–present) 22 Md. Keramat Ali Molla Vice-Chancellor 1 September 2003 – 8 May 2004 23 A. F. M. Anwarul Haque Vice-Chancellor 9 May 2004 – 6 September 2008 24 Muhammad Fazlul Bari Vice-Chancellor 7 September 2008 – 27 September 2009 25 Sirajul Karim Choudhury Vice-Chancellor 27 September 2009 – 5 March 2013 26 Md. Mortuza Ali Vice-Chancellor 6 March 2013 – 28 May 2014 27 Mohd. Rafiqul Alam Beg Vice-Chancellor 28 May 2014 – 28 May 2018 28 Rafiqul Islam Sekh Vice-Chancellor 30 July 2018 – 30 July 2022 29 Md. Sazzad Hossain Acting Vice-Chancellor 3 August 2022 – 27 May 2023 30 Md. Jahangir Alam Vice-Chancellor 20 August 2023 – 31 August 2024 31 S. M. Abdur Razzak Vice-Chancellor 28 October 2024 – incumbent
Faculties and departments
Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology has a total of 14 degree-awarding departments under four faculties.
Faculty Department Seats Faculty of Civil Engineering Department of Civil Engineering 180 Department of Urban and Regional Planning 60 Department of Architecture 30 Department of Building Engineering and Construction Management 30 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Department of Industrial and Production Engineering 60 Department of Mechanical Engineering 180 Department of Ceramics and Metallurgical Engineering 60 Department of Mechatronics 60 Department of Materials Science and Engineering 60 Department of Chemical Engineering 30 Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering 180 Department of Computer Science and Engineering 180 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 60 Department of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering 60 Faculty of Applied Science and Humanities Department of Mathematics Postgraduate only Department of Physics Department of Chemistry Department of Humanities Student life
Student life at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) is characterized by a residential academic environment, strong peer collaboration, and active participation in technical, cultural, and social activities.
Residential system
RUET operates as a predominantly residential university, with accommodation facilities forming a central component of student life. The university has eight residential halls, including seven for male students and one for female students. These halls collectively accommodate a significant portion of undergraduate students, though demand often exceeds capacity.
Hall Type Approx. capacity Shahid President Ziaur Rahman Hall Male ~500 Shahid Lt. Selim Hall Male ~350 Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Huq Hall Male ~250 Shahid Abdul Hamid Hall Male ~220 Shahid Shahidul Islam Hall Male ~220 Tin Shed Hall Male ~100 Male Hall-1 Male ~500 Male Hall-2 Male ~500 Female Hall-1 Female ~500 Female Hall-2 Female ~500 Nawab Foyzunnessa Chowdhurani Hall Female ~150
Each hall is administered by a provost along with assistant provosts, typically drawn from senior faculty members. Hall life plays a significant role in fostering collaboration, peer learning, and participation in extracurricular activities.
Students who cannot be accommodated in halls usually reside in nearby areas such as Kazla, Talaimari, and Binodpur, forming an extended off-campus student community.
Dining and daily life
Each residential hall maintains its own dining facility (commonly known as "dining hall"), where students are provided with low-cost meals. These dining systems are often student-managed, encouraging leadership and organizational skills.
The campus also features: Central cafeteria Tea stalls and small eateries Grocery and daily-necessity shops
These facilities contribute to a self-contained campus lifestyle.
Sports and physical activities