History and Progress of the Department of Japanese Studies
Shiblee Noman
Summary: This chapter attempts to reveal the history of the Department of Japanese Studies at Dhaka University. This is a primary research work based on the interviews of the key informants and document analysis. Japan Study Circle, established in 1994, was turned into Japan Study Centre in 2002. It has since started offering different courses and programs. The momentum came in 2012 when Prof. Dr. Abul Barkat became its director. His visionary leadership turned the centre into a full-fledged department in 2017. Since then, it offers Bachelor and Master’s in Japanese Studies. The department gathered pace when Dr. Abdullah-Al-Mamun became its chairman in 2020. His dynamic leadership has turned the department into a hub of Japanese Studies in the region, and it has recently received the prestigious Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation 2022 for promoting Japanese Studies in Bangladesh and beyond. The implication of area studies in academia is now better understood, and the department is on the right track to make significant academic and policy contribution.