Prof. Anwarul Azim Arif. Photo : Collected

CHITTAGONG UNIVERSITY, Mar 19, 2026 (BSS) - Former Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Chittagong (CU) and former professor of the department of Management Anwarul Azim Arif passed away in the early hours of today while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city. He was 75.

Prof. Arif, who is survived by his three sons and wife, was suffering from diabetes-related complications, said Iftekhar Arif Rajib, the eldest son of the deceased and an associate professor at the Institute of Education and Research (IER) of CU.

“My father had long been suffering from diabetes. He suddenly fell ill last night and we took him to the Center for Specialized Care and Research (CSCR) Hospital in Chattogram city where the doctors declared him dead at around 3.15 am today,” he said. 

The first Namaz-e-Janaza of the former VC was held at Jamiatul Falah Mosque in Chattogram at 11:00am today while the second Janaza will be held after Asr prayer at Uzair Ali Chowdhury Mosque in Ichhamatikul of Satkania.

Professor Anwarul Azim Arif served as the 16th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chittagong from 2011 to 2015.

He was born on May 1, 1951, in Ward No. 8 of Ichhamatikul under Satkania in Chattogram district. His father was Saidur Rahman. 

He passed SSC from Satkania Adarsha High School in 1967 and HSC from Government Commerce College, Chattogram in 1969. He later completed his B.Com. and M.Com. Degrees from the Department of Management at the University of Chittagong, and obtained his MBA from a university in the Philippines in 1982.

Arif joined the Department of Management at the University of Chittagong as a lecturer in 1976. He later served as pro-vice-chancellor of the university in 2001. He also served as vice-chancellor of Premier University and International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC).

Prof. Anwarul Azim Arif was the chairman of Social Islami Bank Limited. In 2021, he was elected chairman of the executive committee of the Islamic Banks Consultative Forum (IBCF). 

He was also honoured as Best Professor in Strategic Management at the Best B-School Award 2012 by the World Education Congress.