Bangladesh government approves six more private universities

The government has approved the setting up of six new private universities.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 Jan 2016, 12:51 PM
Updated : 10 Jan 2016, 04:17 PM

There are already 83 such universities in the country. With the new ones, the number will go up to 89.

Questions have been raised over the standards of some of the private universities. But the government seems to be game for more.

Helal Uddin, Additional Secretary of the education ministry, told bdnews24.com on Sunday that two of these new private universities would come up in Dhaka and one each in Chittagong, Kushtia, Manikganj and Khulna.

"Approval orders have been issued for setting up these universities."

'The International University of Scholars', piloted by Prof Mohammad Jamil Habib, will be set up at Badda in the capital.

'The Canadian University of Bangladesh', piloted by Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat, will also be set up at Badda.

'NPI University of Bangladesh will be set up in Manikganj by former Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Shamsur Rahman and Ishaque Ali Khan Panna.

'Northern University of Business and Technology' will be set up in Khulna by Mohammad Ansar Ali.

'Rabindra Friendship University’ will be set up in Kushtia by Mohammad Jahurul Islam, former dean of the Islamic University in the town.

'The University of Creative Technology' will be set up in Chittagong by Mahmud Osman.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid had stated at a Jan 5 function that private universities would not be able to stay in business unless they fulfilled the conditions set by the government.

The education ministry, for the fourth time, set a deadline (Sep 15) for all private universities completing seven years of existence to shift to their own campus.

Seventeen private universities who have completed seven years have moved to their own campus, while 27 others have done so partially.

Fifty-two private universities in Bangladesh have completed seven years of existence.

Additional Secretary Helal Uddin said the six new private universities would have to take permission from the University Grants Commission about the courses to be followed and setting up departments and faculties.

Teaching must commence within three months of the completion of recruitment, he said.

Helal Uddin said there were 110 applications pending with the education ministry for the setting up of private universities.

One of the conditions for a private university to be set up is for such an institution to have its own or rented building of 25,000 square feet.

Another condition is that such universities should be able to open at least six departments under three faculties.