..:: University of Dhaka : Department of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Technology ::..

The department is located in a very beautiful area, adjacent to the main Curzon Hall building of the University of Dhaka. 
This department is one of the oldest and largest departments of its kind in Bangladesh with approximately 250 undergraduate & graduate students and 20 full time teaching staffs, including 8 professors. 
Most of our teaching staffs have Ph.D. and Post-Doctoral training from U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Australia, Germany, former USSR, Japan, The Netherlands, India, Switzerland and China. Our professors have established world-wide reputations in their respective fields of work and have a reputation for being friendly and approachable.

This department has a unique teaching and research program.
To be admitted to the Department of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Technology  Candidate with required marks in S.S.C. and H.S.C. in science or equivalent qualifications with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics has to sit for the central admission test, conducted by Dhaka University under the Science Faculty and other than giving one’s choice of study of the subject he has to get a  brilliant score, since it is one of the top most choice of subjects of the students. So meeting the minimum admission requirements does not automatically guarantee admission to this department as the admission process is very competitive. Subsequently, on the recommendations of the department they may be admitted in the first year of the four-year B.Sc. with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory minor subjects. 
Students enrolled in this department at the University of Dhaka have access to a broad range of activities, which play a significant role in their development of mind and also enrich their overall knowledge. They have to attend theoretical lectures, practical classes, go on field visits to chemical process industries and write project reports, feasibility reports justifying technical and financial viability of an undertaking. The 4-year B.Sc.(Hons.) program also includes detailed study of Chemical Technology and Chemical Engineering, Computer Applications, Industrial Economics Psychology and Management. Examinations include in addition to the conventional, continuous assessment tests, viva-voce, and evaluation of Project reports. For example, from first year, in addition to theoretical and practical classes, the students have to visit at least two industries of their course study and write reports on those industries and also sit for written tests on the visiting industries and face viva-voce. This procedure is applicable to students of every year. The students of 4th year B.Sc. Honors, that is final year of under graduate students go for an industrial training of six weeks to different chemical industries of Bangladesh. They, i.e. the students of 4th year also write project reports on individual projects and face viva-voce on their projects and those projects are assessed by two examiners, one of which is the external. 
Entry requirements for M.S. includes a 4-year B.Sc.(Hons.) degree in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology. Candidates, having minimum 2nd class in 4-year B.Sc. degree in Leather Technology/Textile Technology/Chemical Engineering also qualify for an admission in the M.S. Course of this department. In M.S., candidates have to take up advanced theoretical courses on Chemical Technology, with advanced laboratory techniques. In place of practical courses (General group), selected students may be allowed to take up research (Thesis group). 
Students of M.S. course, which has been started from 2004, undergo an intensive training of four weeks at the TICI-Training Institute for Chemical Industries ( A Centre of Excellence for Training on Industrial Technology & Specialized Technical Services). This gives them much practical knowledge on unit operations in chemical industries. 
They work in the Unit Operations laboratory and run semi-pilot and pilot sized equipment, where the next step is the real thing!
The M.Phil. Program has a duration of two years and consists of advanced courses on Chemical Technology and research on selected topics. At the end of the first year, successful candidates may be registered for the Ph.D. Program. 
The Ph.D. Program also requires a successful completion of 2 unit advanced theoretical courses on Chemical Technology and Chemical Engineering and requires submission of a Doctoral Dissertation as well as success in the final viva-voce examination.

Research Programs and Facilities:

Research is carried out in applied sciences and engineering as well as in pure science. 
The Department of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Technology has contributed significantly to higher education and research in the areas of Fuels and Petro-Chemicals, Polymer Technology, Science of Materials, Analytical Techniques and Environmental Science & Engineering. 
However, it needs mentioning that the department has mostly conventional laboratory facilities. It does not have well-equipped and modernized laboratory facilities for higher research, having at the moment only UV/Visible Spectrophotometer and a GLC system. But shortly the department has a plan to procure the latest model Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and FT-IR.  Though the present infrastructure and laboratory facilities do not help to perform hi-tech R&D projects but the department closely interacts with the industries, R&D organizations and professional institutions like Atomic Energy Commission, BCSIR, ICDDRB and BAPEX laboratories for joint research projects. It is high time that adequate fund should be provided by the University, University Grants Commission, Ministry or other Funding Agencies so that highly qualified teachers of this department have the scope to work with devotion and their research findings may bring immense benefit to the nation for which the discipline is meant. Even in such an adverse situation teachers of the department are trying to develop process technology, suitable for setting up of small and medium scale industries. 
Research Programs:
Current research programs of the department include the following:
i) Development of indigenous technology;
ii) Studies on Cellulose, cellulose derivatives pulp and allied products;
iii) Monitoring the quality of water, foods, drugs and consumer products manufactured and marketed in Bangladesh;
iv) Analytical chemistry of trace components in environmental samples
v) Wet and Dry deposition of Atmospheric pollutants;
vi) Industrial waste water treatment;
vii) Surface and underground water pollution;
viii) Arsenic contamination of underground water & its remedy.
ix) Characterization of crude oil, natural gas and coal from different fields and appropriate technology development for processing and their rational use.
x) Technology development for lubricating oil and recycling of used oil.
xi) Coal Gasification, Liquefaction and its Processing with Biomass.
xii) Energy Efficiency Improvements in Chemical Industry & Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction.
xiii) Synthetic organic chemistry and its commercial application;
xiv) Synthetic petrochemicals
xv) Development of novel disinfectants;
xvi) Research on extraction of essential oils and formulation of perfumes and fragrances;
xvii) Utilization of Renewable Energy;
xviii) Biogas Technology;
xix) Processing of vegetables, fruits, fish and meat product using solar energy (Equipments &Processes);
xx) Preparation of single crystals using novel techniques;
xxi) Screening of plant materials for medicinal characteristics;
xxii) Studies on Herbal medicines, technology of their manufacture and evaluation;

Scope of work for students:
The students of this Department have got attractive placements in industry and academic institutions in Bangladesh and abroad. The Department is striving for stronger industry interactions so that many of our graduates can be absorbed there. It may be stated here that the curriculum of B.Sc. Honors and M.S. program is almost like international standard and the awarded degrees are recognized all over the world. Every year, a number of students graduating from this Department go abroad for higher studies and successfully obtain their degrees, either having Ph.D. degree in science or in engineering, without facing any sort of difficulties and some of them work in different universities and organizations all over the world. In Bangladesh graduates from this Department work efficiently in Universities, Colleges, different corporations like BCSIR, BCIC, Atomic Energy Commission, Petrobangla, Banks, in some reputed private sectors like Pharmaceutical industries, Textile industries, etc. In fact there is plenty of scope for the graduates of this department to build up their professional career.

Teaching Staff of the Department:
Names of the teachers who performed the duty of Head of the Dept. & Chairman of this Department  are given below:
Head of the Department
Professor Dr. S.S.M.A.Khorasani,                      (From 14-8-72 to 30-6-73)
Chairman of the Department
Professor Dr. S.S.M.A. Khorasani                            ( (From 1-7-73 to 30-6-76)
Professor Dr. N.H. Bhuiyan                                      ( From 1-7-73 to 30-6-76)
Professor Dr. S.S.M.A. Khorasani                            ( From 1-7-79 to  16-3-80)
Professor Dr. N.H. Bhuiyan                                      ( From 17-3-80 to 24-4-83)
Professor  A.H.M.M. Rahman                                   (From 25-4-83 to 24-4-86)
Professor Dr. Md. Altaf Hossain        (From 25-4-86 to 24-4-89)
Professor Dr. (Mrs.) Dilruba Huq
(From 25-4-89 to 24-4-92)
Professor Dr. A.I. Mustafa	
(From 25-4-92 to 31-1-95)
Dr. M. Ahad ali	
(From 1-2-95 to 31-1-98)
Professor Dr. Monoranjan Saha          (From 1-2-98 to 31-1-2001)
Professor Dr. Ajoy Kumar Das           (From 1-2-2001 to 31-1-2004)         
Professor Dr. Rafiqul Islam                                  ( From 1-2-2004………………)

Other teaching staffs of the department are:
Dr. M. Abdul Quaiyyum-                Professor
Dr. A. M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury-       Professor
Dr. M. Shamsuddin-                      Associate Professor
Dr. Nurul Amin( on study leave)-   Associate Professor
Mr. Aminul Islam Mallik-                Assistant Professor
Mrs. Dipti Saha-Assistant Professor
Mr. Abuzar Kabir( on study leave)- Assistant Professor
Dr. Nurunnabi-                     Assistant Professor
Dr. A.N.M.Hamidul Kabir-               Assistant Professor
Mr. Md. Zahangir Alam-( on study leave)-Lecturer
Mr. Md. Nazrul Islam ( on study leave)- Lecturer
Mr. Md. Mubashyeer Hasan ( on study leave)- Lecturer
Mr. Kamruzzaman-                    Lecturer
Mr. Ashequl Alam Rana-               Lecturer

Conclusion:
Applied Chemistry & Chemical Technology is about making a better world. 
It is about making quality products to meet human demands, for example fertilizer for higher yield of crops; it is about harnessing natural resources efficiently. Chemical engineering & Technology is a collection of tools for designing, building, evaluating, and improving complex chemical, biological, and material systems. Chemical technologists & engineers apply chemical and biological principles to benefit humanity, protect the environment, and build the future. Research and teaching are the foundation of this department. 