External Peer Review Report of the Self-Assessment of Department of Craft Dhaka University 20th August-22th August, 2016 1 Annex 9 External Peer Review Report Format Chapter 1 A review to consider existing provision and to identify areas of good practices and areas where the university could enhance its capabilities for the betterment of the students, staff, university and nation as a whole. The review was conducted over three days with the full support of the university management, staff, students, alumni and employers.The review provides a comprehensive snapshot of the provisions of the Department of Crafts, Dhaka University. We also want to mention that: Additional analysis of the results of surveys would provide more understanding to the panel as to the root cause of the low ratings of some aspects of the university provision. Future questionnaire design suggested to allow respondents to provide optional commentary to help to understand their responses Areas of good practice identified during the visit which could have been indicated in the report. Chapter 2 Establishment of University of Dhaka in 1921. The University was established as compensation for the annulment of the 1905 Partition of Bengal. The partition had established East Bengal and Assam as a separate province, with Dhaka as its capital. However, the partition was abolished in 1911. It was established in 1921 as the first university in East Bengal. Following demands from Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur and others, Viceroy Lord Harding proposed on 2 February 1912, that a new university should be established in this partition of Bengal. In 1913, public opinion was solicited before the university scheme was given its final shape, and the Secretary of State approved it in December 1913. The first vice-chancellor of the university was Philip Joseph Hartog, who had been academic registrar of the University of London for 17 years. Established in 1921, under the Dacca University Act 1920 of the Indian Legislative Council, the university is modelled after British universities. Academic activities started on July 1, 1921, with three faculties: Arts, Science, and Law. Classes were taught in 12 Departments: Sanskrit and Bengali, English, Education, History, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Persian and Urdu, Philosophy, Economics and Politics, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Law. Initially there were three dormitories for students: Salimullah Muslim Hall, Dacca Hall and Jagannath Hall. The university continued to grow under the direction of leaders including Harry Langley, A. F. Rahman, R. C. Majumdar, and Mahmud Hussain. Under Vice-Chancellor Hussain, the University consolidated its fundamental focus on academics. It also made national headlines when he extended an invitation to then-President of Pakistan, Ayub Khan, who declined citing 'security reasons'. This was the first of many subsequent refusals from high-ranking officials to visit East Pakistan. Now Dhaka University continuing to development under the direction of present Vice-Chancellor Abu Ahsan Mohammad Shamsul Arefin Siddique (born October 23, 1953). He took oath from former president Prof. Iajuddin Ahmed as a VC on January 15, 2009. He is a professor of Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Dhaka. Faculty of Fine Art was started in 1948 as a Government Institute of Arts, Johnson Road (old town). In the circumstances of 1947 May or June Muslims in government all over the India were given the option of going to Pakistan or remaining in India. All of the founders of the 2 Government Institute of Arts opted for Pakistan. Thus the teachers were in Pakistan but there was no institute for them to teach at. The teachers were transfer of administration. Zainul Abedin was drawing teacher at the Normal School; Shafiuddin at Collegiate School, Shafiqul Ameen at teachers Training College, Syed Ali Ahsan the draughtsman and Habibur Rahman were transferred to the Ahsanullah Engineering School, Anwarul Haque to the Chittagong Normal School. Sheikh Anwar who was the pressman in the Lithography Department in Calcutta Art School was also transferred to the Engineerinfg School (now Buet). Although the authorities had decided that an art institute would be established in Dhaka. But the Question comes to the fore why such an institute was urgently needed. Thus the responsibility fell on the pioneers to rally themselves and to explain the urgent necessity of art in each and every aspect of our daily lives. However, the fame and the stature that Zainul Abedin and Shafiuddin Ahmed had achieved made it impossible for the authorities to ever go back on the commitment to found the Institute. Among the government officials Qudrat-e-Khuda and Abul Kashem was another helpful and enthusiastic about the art institute. With the suggestion of Habibullah Bahar, Abedin arraged a poster exhibition the occasion of 14 August, Pakistan Day 1948.This would be illustrate the necessity of art as a powerful propaganda instrument and its usefulness at least in designing poster, illustrations, etc. Playing upon the sentiments of the newly independent Muslims the subject chosen was a chronological history of the first Muslim conquest of India to the birth of Pakistan. It was not a public exhibition, only invitees, high government officials and the elite were present. This successful exhibition made possible to birth of the Institute. With the co- operation of Salimullah Fahmi, Under Secretary in the Health Ministry the remaining problem of finding space for the institute was solved. Two rooms were allocated to the art institute at the almost non-functioning National Medical School building, which mainly housed files of the Health Ministry. Two rooms on the ground floor were allotted to the Government School of Arts under which title it was born. Calcutta Government Art School’s educational system served as a role model behind in its planning purposes. The first admission of students was published in the first week of September 1948 announcing that the admission test would be held on 15 September. All the 17 or 18 students sitting for the test were admitted. The course was arranged with two years elementary part, and three years of specialized course. After that, in 1956 a course on Draughtsmanship also offered through its own premises and discontinued it in 1964 as because the draughtsmanship course was then offered in Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute. It became affiliated college with the Dhaka University in 1963, changing its name to the East Pakistan College of Arts and Crafts. With the liberation of the country in 1971 it was called the Bangladesh Government College of Arts and Crafts. In 1983 it immerged with the Dhaka University as an institute of Institute of Fine arts”. Then in 2008, it was associated as a “Faculty of Fine arts, Dhaka University”. Major changes in the academic curriculum were made in 1963, 1978 and 1992 according to available records. There is academic stuff in our Faculty is 65 person, non-academic stuff is 15 and number of total students 800 (approx). 1.4.1.2 Background of establishment of the Department of Craft: As a continuation of art history craft is one of the majestical art-form in Bangladesh since ancient period. Craft is a versatile art form. It includes muslin (a cotton fabric of plain weave), jamdani sarees (one of the finest muslin textiles of Bengal), nokshi katha ( a type of embroidered quilt, is a centuries-old Bengali art tradition in Bangladesh), shitol pati (handmade mat of rattan or murta plant with traditional design), patachitra ( a general term for traditional, cloth-based scroll painting), shakher hari (decorated pots), 3 Laxmi sara (a pot with the image of the deity of Laxmi), wood made materials, dolls etc. Modern craft-art of Bangladesh is a very small part of the whole. The history of the craft department of the Dhaka University fine art faculty is also of some years only. Present faculty of fine art was established just 67 years ago in 1948 as government fine art institute. From the very beginning of this institute craft was included in the syllabus. Along with other subjects Shilpacharya (the great teacher of art, an honorary appendage) Zainul Abedin, the founder of the institute had a wish to provide a realistic and complete education on craft. But in that time he couldn’t achieve his target due to lack of scope and capable teacher. Artist Junabul Islam is the founder of the present craft department. In 1968 he was appointed as a teacher of craft department. At the beginning the students were trained in `tie and dye’ and `batik’. After that these two subject is included in the syllabus of Pre-degree and BFA (Bachelor of fine arts) as a subsidiary. BFA and MFA course under this department were started in 1982 and 1989 respectively. And the honors course was introduced under this department in 1992-1993 session. The main motto of this department is to uphold and promote the modern and creative form of the traditional craft practices. It also involve in the development of this art form. And from these perspective it is operating its academic program. The syllabus of this department is organized in such a way that the students can get a vivid knowledge on the two main part of craft i.e. a) applied craft and b) creative craft. The department try to make sure in building up the capability of the students in both side. The commercial opportunity of the applied craft is also a major consideration of the department. The syllabus of the department includes batik, tapestry, general weaving, wood work, patina (metal work), screen print, appliqué, drawing, design, sketch etc. Chapter 3 Aims and objective of the Craft program: With the needs of stakeholders the purpose of higher educational Craft is to make the students capable of using knowledge and understanding to identify, clarify and provide best possible solution to issues and emerging problems relating to individual, workplace, society and the country.