THAKURGAON, May 8: Professor Dr Mohammad Israfil Shahin of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Dhaka has been appointed as the founding Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Thakurgaon University.
He formally joined as the VC of Thakurgaon University on Thursday morning. This news has sparked a wave of joy across Thakurgaon. People from various offices and institutions are congratulating Dr Israfil Shahin on social media and other platforms.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Education on Wednesday evening stated that the government had appointed Dr Mohammad Israfil on a contractual basis for the next four years.
It is noteworthy that Professor Dr Israfil, born in Thakurgaon District town in 1964, earned his bachelor's degree from the Department of Political Science at the University of Dhaka in 1988. In 1991, he obtained a post-graduate degree in theatre direction from the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi, India. Additionally, he earned his PhD in Performance Studies from Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata. Dr Israfil joined the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Dhaka in 1997.
Furthermore, Professor Dr Israfil has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career, including scholarships from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) for both his MA and PhD studies. He is a founding member of UNESCO's Global Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts and a distinguished figure of the Bangladesh ITI Centre. He continues to work with international theatre organisations, serving as a jury member and guest lecturer at various international forums and festivals. He has also served as the founding chairman of the Bangladesh Theatre for Development Network (BTDN).
Regarding this appointment, Mansur Ali, President of Thakurgaon Press Club, said, 'We are all extremely delighted that Dr Mohammad Israfil Shahin has been appointed VC of Thakurgaon University'.
In this context, the Deputy Commissioner of Thakurgaon, Rafiqul Haque, hope, "Together we will transform Thakurgaon University into a modern and standard educational institution".
The district administration will provide all kinds of cooperation to the Vice-Chancellor,' the DC assured.
