National University (NU) of Bangladesh has launched a new merit scholarship fund in honour of late Associate Professor Dr Sukumar Roy for students of its Bangla Department, said in a press release issued on June 18, 2026. The initiative was announced at the university campus in Gazipur on Thursday, where the family of Dr Roy donated Tk 10 lakh to establish the “Dr Sukumar Roy Merit Scholarship Fund”. The programme aims to support high-achieving postgraduate students and preserve the academic legacy of the late educator, while encouraging stronger performance in Bangla studies across the university’s academic network.
Under the structure of the fund, the principal donation of Tk 10 lakh will be preserved as an endowment, and the annual interest generated from it will be used to award scholarships. Each year, two master’s level students from the Bangla Department will be selected for the scholarship. One award will go to the best-performing student of the university’s on-campus master’s programme, while the second will be granted to the top-performing student from colleges affiliated with the National University. The scheme is designed to ensure consistent academic encouragement for students across both central and affiliated institutions, while promoting excellence in Bangla literature and language studies over time.
The memorandum of understanding establishing the scholarship fund was signed during a formal ceremony held on the National University campus. The agreement was signed by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr ASM Amanullah, who also serves as the chair of the “Dr Sukumar Roy Merit Scholarship Fund” committee, and Rita Brahm, spouse of the late Dr Sukumar Roy, representing the donor family. The signing formally activated the endowment-based scholarship mechanism under the university’s academic support framework.
Vice-Chancellor ASM Amanullah said the initiative taken by Dr Sukumar Roy’s family was highly commendable, noting that it would help encourage students in higher education to achieve better academic results. He added that such education-support initiatives should be expanded further and encouraged other families and stakeholders to contribute to similar academic welfare programmes aimed at strengthening higher education outcomes in Bangladesh. The university leadership described the fund as a meaningful step in linking private philanthropy with institutional academic development.
Several senior officials of the National University were present at the ceremony, including Treasurer Prof Dr ATM Jafarul Azam, Registrar Molla Mahfuz Al Hosen, and Member Secretary of the fund and Chairman of the Faculty of Humanities and Law Dr Syed Hadiuzzaman. Bangla Department faculty member Iman Salauddin also attended the event. Sudip Brahm Roy, son of the late Dr Sukumar Roy, represented the family during the proceedings, reflecting continued engagement between the family and the university in preserving his academic legacy.
Dr Sukumar Roy, a respected researcher and teacher in the Bangla Department of National University, passed away on July 7, 2021 after being infected with Covid-19. His academic contributions and teaching career were widely recognised within the university community, and the newly established scholarship seeks to honour his memory through sustained support for outstanding students in his field of expertise.
