English: On 1 December 1976 then government announced the establishment of the Islamic University to promote Islamic System of education and to co-ordinate with Islamic Education and other branches of modern education in the country. Islamic University, Kushtia was founded on 22 November 1979 at Shantidanga-Dulalpur (Kushtia-Jhenidah) by then president of Bangladesh General Ziaur Rahman, based on the recommendation of ‘Islamic University Planning Committee’ on 7 January 1977 headed by M. A. Bari including seven other members.

The Islamic University Act was passed by National Assembly of Bangladesh on 27 December 1980.

The main objective for establishing Islamic University is “to provide for instruction in theology and other fields of Islamic Studies and comparative jurisprudence and such other branches of learning at Graduate and Postgraduate level as the University may think fit and make provision for research including Post-Doctorate research and training for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge”[Clause 5(a), The Islamic University Act 1980(37)].

On 1 January 1981 the government of Bangladesh appointed A. N. M. Mamtajuddin Choudhury as the first vice-chancellor and the university became operational that year.[7]

As construction of several important buildings began, a presidential decree was issued on 15 May 1982 to shift the university from Shantidanga-Dulalpur (Kushtia-Jhenaidah) to Boardbazar, Gazipur on an area of 50 acres. The construction of an academic building, two residential halls and other necessary infrastructures were completed. Initially two faculties (Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) with four departments (Al-Quran, Dawah, Accounting, Management) were established and 300 students were enrolled in the session of 1985-86..

In 1987, two more departments (Sharia and Economics) were established.

On 28 December 1988, while the infrastructure development and academic activities were in full swing, the university was again shifted to Shantidanga-Dulalpur (Kushtia-Jhenidah).