The University of Dhaka (Bengali: ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় [ɖʰaka biʃʃobid̪d̪alɔe̯], also known as Dhaka University or simply DU), is the oldest university in modern Bangladesh. Established during the British Raj in 1921, it gained a reputation as the "Oxford of the East" during its early years and has been a significant contributor to the modern history of Bangladesh.[2][3][4][5] After the partition of India, it became the focal point of progressive and democratic movements in Pakistan. Its students and teachers played a central role in the rise of Bengali nationalism and the independence of Bangladesh.