Jagannath University (JnU) has taken a significant step in promoting academic research and knowledge dissemination by signing publication agreements with authors for the release of selected research manuscripts in book form. This initiative has been undertaken by the university’s Public Relations, Information and Publication Office (PRIP), which is working to encourage scholarly writing and ensure that high-quality research reaches a wider audience.
The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Treasurer’s Office of the university. The event was honored by the presence of Professor Dr. Sabina Sharmin, who is currently serving as both the Acting Vice-Chancellor and the Treasurer of the university. She formally inaugurated the program and emphasized the importance of supporting research-based publications, especially in vernacular and interdisciplinary fields.
As part of the initiative, two important research manuscripts were officially selected and published as books. The first book, titled “Smartphone Addiction in Bangladesh: How School-Children Are Affected”, is a collaborative research effort by Associate Professor Dr. Asheque Mahmud and Professor Dr. Farhana Zaman of the Department of Sociology. This work investigates the growing concern of smartphone dependency among school-aged children in Bangladesh, shedding light on psychological, behavioral, and social impacts. The study also offers policy recommendations and outlines the responsibilities of parents, educators, and institutions in addressing this modern-day issue.
The second book, titled “Hadith Studies in Bengali Language and Literature”, is authored by Associate Professor Dr. Muhammad Ahsan Ullah from the Department of Islamic Studies. This research explores how Hadith literature has been studied, translated, and integrated into the corpus of Bengali language and literature. It offers an in-depth historical and thematic analysis of the influence of Hadith on Bengali scholarly and literary traditions, highlighting the cultural and intellectual engagement of Bengal’s Islamic scholars over the centuries.
The event was attended by several key members of the university’s academic and administrative community including Professor Dr. Md. Rois Uddin, General Secretary of the JnU Teachers’ Association; Professor Dr. Mallik Akram Hossain, Dean of the Faculty of Life and Earth Sciences; Professor Dr. Muhammad Tajammul Haque, the university’s Proctor; Dr. Muhammad Anwarus Salam, Director of PRIP; Tarek Bin Atique, Transport Administrator; and the authors themselves.
In her speech, Professor Dr. Sabina Sharmin praised the efforts of the researchers and encouraged faculty members from all departments to actively participate in similar publication initiatives. She stressed the importance of turning academic research into accessible publications that not only contribute to scholarly discourse but also benefit society at large.
The PRIP directorate intends to continue this initiative in the future, with the goal of supporting more research publications across a wide range of disciplines. This effort marks a positive move towards institutionalizing a culture of research, academic integrity, and publication excellence at Jagannath University.
