Professor Dr Rasheda Akhtar, the first female of the nation to be appointed as a treasurer of a public university, in an interview said, “Women have to fight for everything in the workplace. However, the issue is different in my case. The overall women-friendly and equal opportunities for men and women situation at Jahangirnagar University as well as the responsibilities and cooperative behavior of the university’s male colleagues, have always motivated us to work better.”
Being a child of a government employee father, she had a chance to move to different parts of the country. She was indomitable in her childhood and she still has a fresh memory of the War of Liberation in 1971.
With the excellent academic outcomes, she joined Jahangirnagar University (JU) as a lecturer and later performed several important duties in her department, faculty and the university.
Professor Akhtar completed her Matriculation from Sylhet Kishori Mohan Girls High School in 1989 and Entrance from Sylhet Women's College in 1981. She received first-class marks on both tests and ranked 6th and 10th from the humanities group in Cumilla board, respectively.
She then went on to graduate from Dhaka University’s Sociology department in 1986 and complete her postgraduate studies in 1988. She achieved first place in first class in both exams
In recognition of her outstanding academic achievement, she was awarded the Chancellor Award and the Nazmul Karim Memorial Gold Medal Award from the Prime Minister.
With excellent academic outcomes, she joined Jahangirnagar University (JU) as a lecturer of Anthropology department in 1988. Later she served as the chairman of the department from 1994 to1997.
Professor Akhtar, who grew up in Cumilla and Sylhet government staff colonies, witnessed the general elections of 1970, the war of liberation and the social realities before and after the war of liberation and various social, cultural and political upheavals. Her father used to discuss the regular language movement, the six-point movement with her and her siblings.
Professor Akhter said, “With the inspiration and companion of my grandparents, father, siblings and other family members from my childhood, I grew conscious of society, philosophy of life and politics from childhood.”
“I didn’t actively participate in politics in my university days. But during the volatile period of Ershad’s reign, I, like other ordinary students, was spontaneously associated with Dhaka University’s liberal and generally integrated political practice. After joining JU as a new teacher, I did not spend much time in politics, but gave time to research and various responsibilities and initiatives assigned by the university administration’, she added again.
Professor Rasheda Akhtar, with a diverse range of experiences, is a part of the multiple histories of Jahangirnagar University. In 2014, she became the first female director of the Student Welfare and Counseling Center of the university. She became the first female Dean of the social science faculty in 2016 and the second female Dean in the university’s history. She was the acting president of the JU Teachers' Association. Since 2014, she is serving as the chief of the university's anti-sexual harassment cell. Furthermore, she is a senate and syndicate member of the university.