Edward College: The Department of Sociology

For thousands of years, people have been living in a group of people in society. But the history of the emergence of sociology as a separate discipline is not very long. Sociology emerged as a philosophy  attempting to secure social stability by breaking with post French revolutionary social order. Ibn Khaldun was the first to introduce realistic thinking about society and expressed the basic concept of the science of culture. In that sequence, the father of the sociology, Auguste Comte, who was initiated into the construction of the French post revolutionary society, started the progress in sociology as a rational and science-based discipline. As a positive science of society,  sociology started in 1957 at the university of Dhaka in Bangladesh. A UNESCO adviser and famous social anthropologist professor Pierre Bessaingnet played an important role to introduce this discipline. A prominent sociologist of Bangladesh Pro. Dr. A. K. Nazmul Karim (He is called the founder of sociology in Bangladesh) also played a significant role to establish this department and became the first Bengali head of the department.  Since then sociology was launched in other public universities including the university of Rajshahi and university of Chattogram. After liberation of Bangladesh this discipline started in various renowned government colleges at honours and Masters level.

Department of sociology is one of the largest departments of Edward college in terms of the number of students. In 1998-99 session BSS (Hons) course in sociology was opened at this department under the National University of Bangladesh. Prof. Abdus Sattar (Basu) along with Professor Dr. A.K.M Shawkat Ali Khan and Prof. Mahbub Hasan played a dominant role to open the Hons. Course. As a renowned  department it continued to going its progress very rapidly from the very beginning. The department got permission to open Master’s course in 2000. Professor Dr. A. K. M Shawkat Ali Khan also played an important role in opening the course. From the session 2015-2016, sociology is aslo being offered at the higher secondary level in this college.

The department of sociology is located on the first floor of three storied BSS building with a specious background at the northern edge of the college campus. This department is aesthetically decorated. At present, four teachers are working in this department, of whom two are Professor (Prof. Dr. A. K. M Shawkat Ali Khan & Prof. Ohidur Rahman), one is assistant professor (Most. Parveen Akhter Khanam), and the rest one is lecturer (Md. Shafiqul Islam). All the faculty members have high professional qualities and they are working with the students to provide quality education in a cordial manner.

Starting its journey with only 143 students in 1999, The department stepped forward overcoming all its problems. At present, the number of students of the department is about 1600. They are serious in their studies. There are 270 seats for honours first year enrollment, 100 seats for preliminary to masters, and 400 seats for masters final year course. Each and every year, a lot of students get GPA 3 out of 4 in BSS (hons) final and MSS final examination. Many students of this department are working in different government and non-government organizations and they are contributing to the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.

The department has a rich seminar library with a good academic atmoshphere. The seminar room is very well furnished under the CEDP (College Education Development Project) project. With numerous rare books and journals this seminar library is located beside the office room. The number of books in the seminar is about 7000. The students of the department use the seminar for reading and borrowing books for a week. There are three well circulated daily newspapers in the seminar for the students. The first magazine named `Pratyaya’ was published in 2002 under the supervision of Dr. A. K.M Shawkat Ali Khan. In every year fourth year final students publish souvenirs containing their photographs, permanent address, special statement and important moments and memories of the campus. Last year an excellent magazine named `Protity’ was published and it was very much appreciated by the teachers and the students.

There is a good relation among the teachers and they are very much friendly and cooperative to the students. They also take special care of the students in extra curricular activities. These activities include general knowledge competition, essay writing, poem recitation, debating and organizing study tour, sometimes seminar and symposium are arranged in the department and the students of the different year participate in the programme.

The department has considerable reputation in the field of culture and sports. The students of this department won most of the events in the annual literature and culture competition held in this college. Moreover, the students of this department have also achieved  success in various competitions held on national days. Even at the national level students of this category have a record of being champion/ runner up. In the annual literature and culture competition of 2023 held in this college, our department had the honour of  getting the highest points and becoming the champion. Already this department has entered 25 years. Going to celebrate silver jubilee program on 16.01.2025 with former and current students. Everyone hopes that this silver jubilee event will become a meeting fair with the joint efforts of all.

The department has successfully upheld their reputation of quality education over the ages. Even today the performance of our students in various internal tests and final examination of National University bear the emblem of success. It is hoped that this department will play a more important role in improving the quality of education, and that the trajectory of the department of sociology will be smooth.

Following are the names and tenure of the Head of the Department since the commencement of the honours course: