Prof Jamilur Reza gets lifetime award

Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury has been given the Bangladesh Development Initiative's (BDI) Lifetime Achievement Award-2017, said a BDI press release.

The award will formally be presented at BDI's international conference tentatively scheduled for August-September 2018.

Established in 2012, the BDI award is designed to honour outstanding individuals or organisations who have contributed to understanding the challenges and the ideals that have led to Bangladesh's development.

Prof Jamilur Reza, the incumbent vice chancellor of the University of Asia Pacific, is a foremost civil engineer, professor and researcher.

Born in Sylhet, Jamilur obtained BSc-in-civil engineering degree in 1963 from the University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka.

Later, he completed MSc engineering and PhD from the University of Southampton.

Dr Jamilur joined the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) as a lecturer in 1963 and was promoted to a professor of the civil engineering department in 1976. He served as the department head in 1978-'79, and 1981-'83.

In March 2001, he joined Brac University as its first vice chancellor.

Prof Jamilur has written about 70 papers in international journals and conference proceedings related to, among others, tall buildings, low-cost housing and earthquake resistant design.

He was awarded Ekushey Padak in science and technology category this year.