The Confucius Institute at University of Dhaka (CIDU) was established in 2016 as a joint non-profit educational institution between Yunnan University, China and the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Built on the principles of mutual respect, friendly consultation, equality and mutual benefit, CIDU was founded with a clear mission: to serve as a bridge of language, culture and friendship between China and Bangladesh.
Since its establishment, CIDU has grown into one of the most active Confucius Institutes in South Asia. Today, CIDU operates nine teaching sites across universities, schools and colleges in Dhaka, annually reaching over 1,000 Bangladeshi students. As an officially accredited HSK test centre, CIDU conducts at least six international Chinese proficiency examinations every year, providing Bangladeshi learners with globally recognised language certification.
Over the years, CIDU has organized and participated in dozens of cultural events, exchange programs and academic forums, bringing Chinese and Bangladeshi communities closer together. CIDU has hosted six sessions of the China-Bangladesh Language and Culture Camp, organized annual student and teacher exchange visits to China, and co-hosted the Bangladesh Chinese Language Education Forum — making it a cornerstone of Sino-Bangladeshi people-to-people relations.
CIDU was also the first institution in Bangladesh to establish a Chinese choir — the Shanhai Chinese Choir — and continues to offer a rich range of cultural programs including Chinese calligraphy, traditional painting, tea art, martial arts and dragon and lion dance. Through the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship Program, CIDU actively supports the professional development of Bangladeshi Chinese language educators, sending teachers to China for advanced training every year.
Today, CIDU stands as a trusted window for Chinese language learning and a dynamic platform for Sino-Bangladeshi cultural exchange, working tirelessly to deepen the long-term friendship between the two nations.