University of Chittagong Central Library Digital Repository

History and Founding

The Chittagong University Library was established in November 1966 in a temporary building coinciding with the founding of the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh's fifth oldest university, on 18 November 1966. The library operated from temporary premises for several years and was shifted to its own purpose-built structure in 1990 — a three-storey building of approximately 56,700 square feet that is the largest library building in the Chittagong region. The Digital Repository is the library's online platform for preserving and providing access to the university's research and documentary heritage.

Collections and Holdings

The central library holds over 400,000 items including books, bound journals, theses, CD-ROMs, and periodicals. The digital repository makes available the full range of the library's documentary output: books, journal articles, theses, dissertations, newspapers, and other documents. Among the library's most distinctive holdings is a rare collection of approximately 650 manuscripts written in Bengali, Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, and Urdu dating from 1872 to 1953, some on vuljapatra, palm leaves, and tulat paper. The library also holds copies of widely circulated daily newspapers in bound volumes from 1968 onwards. Donated collections from notable scholars including Munshi Abdul Karim Sahityabisharad and Professor Abdul Karim enrich the rare holdings.

Access

The digital repository is publicly accessible online at library.cu.ac.bd/digital-repository/. The physical library is located on the Chittagong University campus in Fatehpur Union, approximately 22 km north of Chittagong city.