Bangladesh Agricultural University

Bangladesh Agricultural University (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় Bangladesh Krishi Bishshobiddalôe) or BAU was established as the only university of its kind in Bangladesh in 1961. The scheme for BAU was finalised on 8 June 1961 and its ordinance was promulgated on 18 August 1961. It started functioning with the College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science at Mymensingh as its nucleus. The university has six faculties and 43 departments covering all aspects of agricultural education and research.

BAU was the second highest budgeted public university in Bangladesh for the year 2013–2014. BAU's unparalleled research in agriculture has made it well recognised across Asia. Having a very low teacher-student ratio, the quality of education at BAU is remarkable.

The campus, with an area of 4.85 square kilometres (1.87 sq mi), is in scenic rural surroundings on the western bank of the old Brahmaputra River, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the district town of Mymensingh and 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The campus is made up of academic, administrative and residential buildings and experimental farms, gardens and other related facilities.

Two national research institutes, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) are housed in this campus.

During the days of the war of liberation in 1971, the teachers, students, officers and employees of the university responded to the call of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to join the war of liberation. The vice-chancellor Q.M.F. Rahim declared: "From now on this university will be named as 'Swadhin Bangladesh Krishi Bishwabidyalaya' [Independent Bangladesh Agricultural University]." Teachers, students, officers and employees of BAU joined the war, and the university lost 18 members – one teacher, eleven students and six employees.