Memoir of NSU founder VC launched | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
July 09, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, JULY 09, 2025
Memoir of NSU founder VC launched

Education

TBS Report
13 February, 2022, 10:15 am
Last modified: 13 February, 2022, 10:40 am

Related News

  • Social business now a global movement: CA Yunus
  • NSU inaugurates three centres to advance social business and sustainability
  • Aziz al Kaiser elected chairman of nsu board of trustees
  • NSU Communications Club to host Job Column Season 4 on June 26
  • NSU trustee Benajir Ahmed elected treasurer of ACBSP South Asia regional council

Memoir of NSU founder VC launched

TBS Report
13 February, 2022, 10:15 am
Last modified: 13 February, 2022, 10:40 am
Photo: Courtesy
Photo: Courtesy

A memoir of eminent educationist Professor Muslehuddin Ahmad, founder vice-chancellor of North South University, was launched at Six Season Hotel in the capital on Saturday.

In the book titled "Bridge over Troubled Waters", author Seema Ahmad highlighted the legacy of a pioneer of higher education in Bangladesh through the eyes of a daughter.

According to the author, this book takes the reader through Muslehuddin Ahmad's early years, his career in the diplomatic service, his involvement in the 1971 Liberation War, and his crowning achievement of establishing North South University.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Valiant Freedom Fighter Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir - a retired lieutenant colonel who was honored with the Padma Shri in India, and the Bir Protik and the Swadhinata Padak in Bangladesh - launched the book as chief guest of the event.

Dr Gowher Rizvi, Prime Minister's Adviser for International Affairs, was virtually present as a special guest.

"What an extraordinary achievement and labor of love. It is more than a biography – it is a work of history with great literary merit," he said in his remark.

Renowned journalist Syed Badrul Ahsan has also attended the programme virtually.

Columnist Dr Milton Biswas, Economist Dr Salim Rashid, business professional Syed Akhtar Hassan Uddin, and APPL publisher Ahmed Sarwaruddawla were present in person at the function.

Dr Salim Rashid said, "Seema has performed the indispensable task of presenting her father's single-minded resolve to set up a private university, the first such in Bangladesh."

In the book, author Seema went down the memory lane to unearth an untold story of Prof Muslehuddin, who is considered to be the "Father of the private university movement in Bangladesh"

"Inspired by Bangabandhu during the Liberation War, Muslehuddin Ahmad defected from Pakistan and opened the embassy of Bangladesh at his home in Paris at 125 Ave de Versailles" said Seema Ahmad.

Seema Ahmad weaves her own recollections with those of friends and family to present a unique account of the history of North South University.

In her address, Seema said, "Education is the backbone of a country. When my father started the first private university, he had the vision to deliver high quality education. The private university journey began in 1992, as one small university with 137 students, 10 faculty members. According to University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, today there are 97 universities with almost 328,689 students and 16,277 faculty members. Add to that, 50 public universities today, with 43 lac 62,187 students and 149, 846 faculty members. With 147 universities public and private universities, we certainly have a strong backbone for our economy.

The sheer number of students and faculty members in private universities signal a significant reversal of the brain drain since 1993.

But it's not just in the sheer number of private universities that we see the improvement in higher education. The competition between private and public university education has also driven up the quality of public higher education. When there were hartals and unending university closures, my father began to hold classes during the weekends. Well, guess what! The public universities also began to follow suit. The session jots that plagued higher education was solved. A 3-year degree no longer took 6 years to complete. Soon, everyone graduated on time.

But it didn't stop there. A business degree, BBA, was never offered as a bachelor degree in universities. But after NSU offered it, public universities began to offer it. For instance, the University of Dhaka University today offers BBA and electrical engineering. NSU created a healthy competition between private and public higher education.

But the groundwork of establishing the foundations for high quality education came early on through my father's tireless efforts of collaborating with top tier universities in the US. My father worked with Dr Salim Rashid to get NSU's curriculum reviewed and approved by the University of Illinois Urbana Champaigne. He worked with his eldest son Dr Junaid Ahmad to get the MBA curriculum informally reviewed by Wharton Business School. He worked with his son-in-law Dr Sayeed Ahmed to get NSU's MBA curriculum officially reviewed and recognized by UC Berkeley with the seal of the authority of the Chancellor of the UC system. This collaboration also paved the pathway for NSU students to apply and get accepted more readily to the HAAS School of Business at UC Berkeley and other most competitive schools.

Just as private universities have grown from 1 to 97 in the last 30 years, public universities have grown from 9 to 50 in the same last 30 years. Our Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has the vision to increase the number of public universities and take higher education to the doorsteps of people, to every district in Bangladesh. However, if the government also pays attention to the quality of higher education and not just the sheer quantity, this vision is bound to strengthen the backbone of our nation."

The author of the memoir, Seema Ahmad is an electoral consultant, political activist, & community organizer who worked for Obama's and Biden's presidential campaigns and was a Michigan delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She also worked for local and federal governments in the US. She is currently the founder President of PARIS (Political Activism, Relief, and Institutional Startups) through which she leads the campaigns to Stop Child Hunger and Stop Chemically Tainted Foods in Bangladesh. (www.parisforjustice.org).

She graduated in Economics from the University of Dhaka and in Business and Government Policy from Harvard University.

The event was organized by the author and notable alumni from NSU, namely Shayokh Ahmad (CEO, Xurtials), Md. Miraj Rahman (Director, Rupsha Tyres and Chemicals Limited), Ziauddin Adil (Consulate of the Democratic Republic of Congo and CEO of the Top of Mind), Muntasir Rashid (Director, High Voltage Limited), Aminul Ehsan (Senior Director, Democracy International), and Shams Zaman (Director, Citibank).

North South University (NSU) / North South University / NSU / Professor Muslehuddin Ahmad

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Workers pack undergarments at the packing section of a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 19, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora
    After US tariffs, jobs hang by a thread in Bangladesh's garments sector
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Accurate, transparent audit reports necessary to gain trust of investors: BB governor
  • Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu. Photo: Collected
    BGMEA requests meeting with CA to seek appointment of lobbyist to address US tariff

MOST VIEWED

  • None saw it coming: What went wrong in Bangladesh’s tariff negotiation with US 
    None saw it coming: What went wrong in Bangladesh’s tariff negotiation with US 
  • File Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    Bangladesh faces economic impact as US introduces 35% tariff on exports
  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    Bangladesh reserves above $24b even after making $2b ACU payment 
  • Electric buses for capital: Tk2,500cr to be spent in 2 years
    Electric buses for capital: Tk2,500cr to be spent in 2 years
  • Representational image. Photo: TBS
    35% US tariff to be disastrous for Bangladesh's exports, say economists and exporters
  • Clashes took place between police and protesters in Sylhet on 2 August. Photo: TBS
    Hasina authorised deadly crackdown on protesters during 2024 July uprising, BBC verifies leaked audio

Related News

  • Social business now a global movement: CA Yunus
  • NSU inaugurates three centres to advance social business and sustainability
  • Aziz al Kaiser elected chairman of nsu board of trustees
  • NSU Communications Club to host Job Column Season 4 on June 26
  • NSU trustee Benajir Ahmed elected treasurer of ACBSP South Asia regional council

Features

Dr Mostafa Abid Khan. Sketch: TBS

Actual impact will depend on how US retailers respond: Mostafa Abid Khan

1d | Economy
Thousands gather to form Bangla Blockade in mass show of support. Photo: TBS

Rebranding rebellion: Why ‘Bangla Blockade’ struck a chord

1d | Panorama
The Mitsubishi Xpander is built with families in mind, ready to handle the daily carpool, grocery runs, weekend getaways, and everything in between. PHOTO: Akif Hamid

Now made-in-Bangladesh: 2025 Mitsubishi Xpander

2d | Wheels
Students of different institutions protest demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 circular cancelling quotas in recruitment in government jobs. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

5 July 2024: Students announce class boycott amid growing protests

4d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Not only Hasina but also Awami League should be tried: Mirza Fakhrul

Not only Hasina but also Awami League should be tried: Mirza Fakhrul

46m | TBS Today
Trump considering sanctions on Russia

Trump considering sanctions on Russia

1h | TBS World
Iran receives missile shipment from China

Iran receives missile shipment from China

3h | TBS World
Will JPA be able to survive in the political arena?

Will JPA be able to survive in the political arena?

16h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net