Dhaka University authorities resumed physical classes on Sunday, after nearly 18 months of Covid-forced closure.

Offline classes resumed at different departments and institutes from 8am today.

Prof Abu Md Delwar Hossain, Dean of the Arts Faculty, said classes and exams began at 8am and those will continue until 5pm today.

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Students are allowed to attend classes provided they show the proof of receiving at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Antika Tabassum, a third-year student of Islamic Studies department, said, "We are excited for being back to classrooms and seeing each other after a long time."

Covering academic losses 

The DU academic council in a meeting a few months ago had decided to cut the duration of semester and academic year to cover academic losses.

It decided that a semester would end in four months instead of six months and the academic year in eight months instead of 12, DU Pro- Vice-Chancellor (academic) Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said.

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Before the closure last year, the DU did not hold any class and exam on Saturdays.

But from now on, the authorities of all departments and institutes can take classes on Saturdays if they want, the academic council decided.

Like all other educational institutions in the country, the DU was shut in March last year to curb the spread of novel coronavirus.

On October 5 this year, the university reopened its residential halls to its fourth-year honours and master's students who got at least one dose of Covid vaccine.

The second- and first-year honours students were allowed into the halls from October 10, maintaining Covid safety protocols.

Read: Dhaka University teachers, students demand reopening campus

The decision was taken at a meeting of the university's Academic Council on October 7.

Earlier, on September 28, the Provost Standing Committee and the Academic Council made the decision to reopen dorms at a syndicate meeting chaired by the vice-chancellor.