East West University (EWU) has launched a Foreign Language Centre to improve students’ employability, global connectivity, cultural understanding and language education, the private university said in a press release.
The centre was inaugurated on Thursday, 9 July 2026, at the university’s Manzur Elahi Auditorium, with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi attending as chief guest.
The initiative begins with Japanese as its first language curriculum, a move the ambassador described as timely for preparing students for the global stage. He said the programme could further strengthen the long-standing relationship between Bangladesh and Japan and thanked EWU for selecting Japanese as the centre’s first language offering.
The event was chaired by Professor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, chairperson of the EWU Board of Trustees and former governor of Bangladesh Bank.
In his concluding remarks, Farashuddin said EWU had established the centre in line with the Prime Minister’s call for learning a third language. He said the initiative would help students cross borders academically and professionally and establish themselves as truly global graduates.
Hedayatul Islam, deputy secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, attended the ceremony as special guest. He reaffirmed the government’s support for progressive educational initiatives that help build a skilled workforce.
Earlier, EWU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Shams Rahman delivered the welcome address, greeting guests, faculty members and students. He described the Foreign Language Centre as a future hub for academic and cultural exchange.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by EWU faculty members and students, members of the Japan Alumni Association, officials from various government offices and representatives from the Embassy of Japan.
